Olympic ringmaster cracks the whip

Roll up, roll up, for a five-ringed circus.

The German ringmaster is ready. His name is Thomas Bach.

He's a lion tamer these days. Pity some Russian beasts escaped the cage though.

Bach is also a tightrope walker. A juggler. Sometimes a fire-breather. Even a contortionist.

What else would you expect from the man at the helm of the five rings, the Olympic Games?

So come, take a seat under the big top, which happens to be one of the plushest hotels in Rio de Janeiro - this circus and its performers don't come on the cheap.

Bach is directing the show. The ringmaster is, after all, the International Olympic Committee president.

He's cracking the whip at the opening production - the opening day of the IOC's general assembly on Tuesday.

It's a show which runs for three days only. Then that other production, starring athletes, begins.

Bach has a cast of about 100 under the big top. All are renowned performers in their home countries.

But as far as the ringmaster is concerned, there's only one clown - who doesn't make him laugh.

The clown is the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Bach reckons WADA let those dopey Russian lions loose. And now it's his production which has to clean up the mess.

"It is not the IOC that is responsible for the accreditation and supervision of anti-doping laboratories," Bach tells his troupe.

"It is not the IOC which can be held responsible for alleged corruption ... (to) cover-up doping."

The clown is listening - WADA president Craig Reedie is also an IOC vice-president.

But the Brit isn't about to try and cheer up the ringmaster just yet, saying he'll respond later in a report about the dealings of his agency with those Russian lions.

So, for now, the ringmaster is content with putting a few lions back in their cages ahead of the Olympics. But some will perform in Rio.

And the ringmaster says it's the correct decision. Not every animal has its day, only the clean ones.