The CEO of the Russian Cycling Federation says three of the country's cyclists have been cleared to race at the Olympics after appealing their exclusion over doping. Tour de France stage winner Ilnur Zakarin cannot race due to "a confluence of circumstances," federation CEO Yuri Kucheryavy tells The Associated Press in text messages. Hours before the opening ceremony, the Greek Olympic committee has announced the first positive doping test of the Rio Games. There was a late detour for the torch on Friday, with protests and heavy crowds forcing organizers to shift the relay away from part of the famed Copacabana beach before it headed to Sugar Loaf Mountain. Rio's Olympic sailing event has drawn unwanted attention because of severe water pollution in the Guanabara Bay venue. NBC also won't be streaming the event through its app or Olympics website until the television coverage begins, and streamers need to authenticate their account with a cable or satellite service. Suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff says she's sad to be missing out on the Olympics festivities as Rio gears up to Friday night's opening ceremony. Jake Dalton will do floor exercise, still rings, vault, parallel bars and high bar while 2012 all-around bronze medalist Danell Leyva will compete on pommel horse, parallel bars and high bar. Leaders of countries who are in Brazil to promote bids for the 2024 Games discussed terrorism threats Friday ahead of Rio's opening ceremony. French President Francois Hollande says Paris and other cities bidding to host future Olympics need to be able to protect themselves, and Hollande says France has experience in organizing and protecting major events. More than 200 people have died in France in the last 18 months in terror attacks, but Hollande said these were not attacks on major organized events like the European Championship soccer tournament, which was held around France in June and July. Speaking in an interview with two international news agencies, including The Associated Press, Renzi said that if the terrorists hate music, we will invest more money in music. Protests and large crowds have forced the Olympic torch relay away from Copacabana. The world rowing federation has cleared a previously banned Russian rower from competing in the Olympics but says Russia has decided to leave him at home anyway. Ivan Podshivalov, who received a two-year doping ban in 2008, got a last-minute go-ahead to compete in Rio after a sports arbitration panel rejected a rule barring Russian athletes with prior doping sanctions from competing in the games. According to the statement, the attacks happened on Wednesday. The Olympic flame has hit Rio's most famous landmark, the Christ the Redeemer statue. The flame will be used to light the Olympic cauldron Friday night at the opening ceremony at Maracana Stadium. The former soccer star — Brazil's most famous athlete — said this week he was invited to take part in the opening ceremonies for the 2016 Summer Olympics, but business deals were stopping him from doing it. Millions of television viewers from around the world are expected to watch the three-hour ceremony in Rio de Janeiro on Friday night, which culminates in the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. There will be two cauldrons in Rio, one at the Maracana soccer stadium that is hosting the opening ceremony and another open to the public in downtown Rio. There's going to be no shortage of samba, culture or diversity in the opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympics as Brazil proudly showcases its traditions and environmental wonders. Organizers are making sure that global warming and the environment, especially the country's magnificent Amazon rainforest, are important parts of the ceremony.
 |
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.sfgate.com |
