Some readers of the Western media consider this decision fair, but the majority wonders why this decision affected only Russian athletes, given the fact that the doping problem is of a global nature. Below are some of their comments on the issue.
Germany:
ARD
Der Tagesspiegel
AnKerb: Doping is a deception of other athletes, spectators, sponsors, promoters and in the end — it is self-deception, because someday your body will have to pay for it. In such situations, any sanctions are appropriate.
Die Zeit
Galgenstein: Correct decision. Why should doping be tolerated out of political considerations? There are rules. Anyone who violates the rules must be aware of the consequences. Attempts to hide the violations because of the fact that they were supported by Russian officials would not only be against the rules, but also would transform the idea of the games into a farce.
SimeonVeliki: This decision proves that sports has a lot to do with politics. Or do you think that doping concerned only Russian athletes? Hardly! Once again, it can be seen: Sports is a subtle, but effective tool of political struggle!
US
NBC News
Justsaying — 10518850: I wish the IOC would make them return all the medals they stole from clean athletes over the last 50 years and wipe their names from the record books.
Spicy Millenial Lives Matter: It's BORING when records aren't broken.
Just let them do whatever and we fans get a better Olympics for it.
backtobasics-1076842: Though Russia won't be fielding a team to compete at the Olympics, the athletes, trainers and most coaches will be in attendance to stir up as much 'trouble' as possible for the athletes of the other nations, probably by making false anonymous claims of cheating, drug use, doping and bribery, just because that's also what they're trained to do.
Common Man-3493893: Without the Russians to compete against it's not really the Olympics.
ABC News
cor: We should just cancel the Olympics and all future ones until we can change the way it is run. Athletes should not become a tool of nationalism and propaganda but should compete for themselves through their sport. Return them to Greece where they originated permanently. Take the rot out by not allowing athletes or countries to capitalize on their performance monetarily. Put limits on the number of sports offered. It is not necessary to have tiddlywinks become an Olympic sport. Return to the Ancient Greek ideal of a sound mind in a sound body.
Bo Lee: They shouldn't ban the entire team. They should test every single athlete every morning they are to perform and then right after. A lot of them are honest and being punished because some of them abuse.
a I: The Russian TEAM is being punished because the Russian government was caught cheating to support the Russian team at the previous Olympics. This is a fair and just punishment, in my view.
Vice News
hoaxvii: Russia's like a young child that steals chocolate from the cupboard, then gets really upset and angry when they are caught sitting on the kitchen floor covered in said chocolate.
'How dare you accuse me and publicly shame me over something that I blatantly did! This is so unjust!'
Resinveins: Rio is going to be a spectacular flop.
Bruce Wayne: No, probably the most honest Olympics in memory.
Great Britain
Daily Mail
Pepper Sanchez: It's all politics. Nothing more.
Ew12344: I definitely won't be watching the Olympics, this is just an attack on Russia by the media, we all know doping is not just a Russian issue, it's a GLOBAL issue, f global media.
Guardian:
Alexander Bach: Terrible times for the IOC.
Bach of course realizes that you can't ban a country based on the words of a single controversial person. But on the other hand he saw the example of Blatter who was punished by the US for not obeying their orders. So most probably Bach will obey and that will be the beginning of the end of the Olympism.
Neil Marshall: No doubt the IOC will go with the money, and deliver Russia no more than a slap on the wrist. The systemic corruption within the Russian athletics scene must be ended or we will see yet more formerly clean athletes cheat to match the unnaturally high standards met by their doped up colleagues.
Austria
DiePresse
kmu23: The US is trying to isolate Russia by all means. Especially the World Cup 2018 would bring the whole world to Russia. People would understand that Russia is not an aggressive and not a backward country. This is what the United States wants to prevent.
lobo: The US-Amis know how they can harm other countries, especially the Russians!
Unfortunately, the EU is a puppet of the US Amis. The majority of the population is in general against doping, but for all members and all countries in the same manner!!!
Only the US has the right to deny doping. Nobody dares take action against it! This is disgusting what these Yanks do!
Der Standard
Besserwiss-Klugscheiss: Who was behind it all — the state or the sports federations — absolutely doesn't matter. Anyway, doping is being used all around the world, and we would then have to disqualify all athletes. Politics has nothing to do in the sport.
Horst_aus_Frankfurt: Big victory of the West in a hybrid war against Russia!
Shabine: Politically shameful verdict!