RIO DE JANEIRO — Just about everywhere in Rio, on the day of the Opening Ceremony, we’re talking about drugs. Or, doping, at least.
Of all the controversies overshadowing the opening of the Olympics here, none has cast quite the same pall as the Russian doping scandal, which has finally been settled with 271 of the 387 Russians ruled eligible to compete. The IOC washed its hands of the decision, leaving it to individual sports authorities to decide which athletes deserved banishment.
MORE: Top U.S. athletes in Rio | When to watch big events
There was a notion that the only way to send a real message would be to kick out the entire Russian contingent, and that opportunity has been lost.