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Pavel Sozykin free to compete in Rio after World Sailing reverses decision

Aerial view of Guanabara Bay, sailing venue of the Rio 2016 Olympics
Image: Pavel Sozkyin will be able to compete in Guanabara Bay

World Sailing (WS) has reversed a previous decision to ban Russia's Pavel Sozykin from the 2016 Olympic Games.

Additional guidance from the International Olympic Committee has allowed WS board members to make a unanimous decision to declaring Sozykin free to compete.

Sozykin's entry for the Men's 470 class event must still be confirmed by the IOC and the review panel established through the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

WS said the IOC had circulated new guidance to all summer international federations, advising against implicating an athlete if the McLaren report does not mention a specific prohibited substance.

A statement read: "In the case of Mr. Sozykin, though he was identified in the McLaren Report in connection with the Disappearing Positive Methodology, the report did not include specific information as to whether the positive test occurred in-competition or out-of-competition.

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"Further, the substance for which he tested positive is not prohibited out-of-competition and, if the sample had been taken out-of-competition, would not have resulted in a sanction,"

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