Russia's athletics chief said that the country was in the dark over which athletes can compete as neutrals at the Rio Games.
The world athletics governing body IAAF unanimously voted on Friday to maintain Russia's suspension over evidence of state-sponsored doping and mass corruption in track and field.
But the door was left slightly ajar for Russian athletes training outside the country to apply to compete as neutrals in Rio.
Athletics federation chief Dmitry Shlyakhtin named long jumper Darya Klishina as a Russian athlete who could compete in Rio due to being based abroad full-time.
“If the question is only about the athletes who were identified in the new criteria -- those who prepared outside Russia -- we have one such athlete: Dariya Klishina,” Shlyakhtin said.
Shlyakhtin said the federation would send the IAAF a request for additional information on its criteria to check whether Russian athletes taking part in training camps in Portugal or Kyrgyzstan could be eligible.
“What does outside Russia mean?” Russia's national athletics team head coach, Yury Borzakovsky told AFP at the opening day of Russia's athletics championship in Cheboksary.
“We had a three-month training camp in Portugal. If they (IAAF) want to raise their question more concretely, I suppose they are talking about the athletes who train abroad not as part of the Russian team.”
Klishina, 25, trains at the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, which is mostly known for producing world-class golfers and tennis players.
Klishina, a two-time European indoor champion, did not make the 2012 Russian Olympic team. The Rio Games would be her first Olympics if she is allowed to compete.
Shlyakhtin said the athletics federation would support athletes, including pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, who have pledged to take the IAAF to court over the decision.
The federation “will probably go to court” once it receives IAAF's final report, Shlyakhtin said. – AFP