Russian sports chiefs welcome IOC ruling

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Sunday he was grateful to the International Olympic Committee for not imposing a blanket ban on Russia competing at the Rio Olympics.

Mutko said he hoped the majority international sports federations would now support the rights of Russian sportspeople hoping to compete at the Games in August.

Russian Olympic chief Alexander Zhukov said on Sunday the ruling was one of the hardest decisions in the history of the Olympic movement.

He said the decision by the IOC's ruling 15-member executive board was taken unanimously. The Rio Olympics begin on August 5.