Armour: IOC may need a push to ban Russia from Olympics

As it weighs Russia’s collective responsibility for its brazen cheating versus not wanting to punish innocent athletes, the International Olympic Committee is overlooking perhaps the most important factor of all.

Its bottom line.

Sure, it would be nice if fair play and ethics were enough to get the IOC to punish Russia for a widespread doping program traced to the highest reaches of that country’s sports administration. But if it’s going to take the IOC worrying about alienating sponsors to do the right thing, so be it.

“The big thing that moves things in sports is either sponsors putting pressure on people or labor strife,” said Michael Colangelo, an assistant director of the Sports Business…