Russia’s Fencing Team Cleared to Compete at Rio Olympics

LONDON (AP) — Russian fencers has been cleared to compete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics after the sport's governing body found no grounds to exclude any of the team for doping.

The International Fencing Federation announcement was positive news for Russia, which has seen at least 105 athletes from its 387-strong Olympic team banned so far over the country's doping scandal.

The IFF says 197 tests taken from Russian athletes in 35 countries over the last two years were all negative.

Sixteen Russian fencers have qualified for the Rio Games and there are four reserves.

The fencing federation president is Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren reported last week that four positive doping tests in Russian fencing disappeared in recent years.

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