The IJF has cleared Russian judokas to compete at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

Eleven Russian judokas have been cleared to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games by the sport’s worldwide governing body.

The decision from the International Judo Federation (IJF) comes as a result of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) leaving the responsibility of Russian participation at the Games to the International Federations (IFs).

The IJF had confirmed their opposition to any blanket ban on Russian athletes at next month’s Games following the release of the McLaren Report, which revealed the presence of a Russian doping scheme across more than 30 sports as well as several major events, last week.

IJF President Marius Vizer had raised eyebrows when he compared the situation to the Cold War - the period of political tension between western superpower the United States and the-then Soviet Union throughout the second half of the 20th century.

The governing body had been widely expected to allow Russian competitors to take part in Rio following Vizer’s strong show of support for the under-fire nation.

Many in the country believe that Russia has been the victim of a political witch-hunt, while it has been pointed out that clean athletes would have been the collateral damage had the IOC chosen to impose a wholesale ban on the nation.

Vladimir Putin is an honorary President of the International Judo Federation ©Getty Images
Vladimir Putin is an honorary President of the International Judo Federation ©Getty Images

Vizer, the former SportAccord President and a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin who is an honorary President of the IJF, has taken this view.

“All those athletes have been tested starting from September last year until the end of May, on many occasions, at many international judo events, not in Russia, abroad from Russia,” Vizer said on Twitter.

“There was no punishment, no negative evidence, we don’t take into consideration any analysis or tests made in Russia, because for us it is not relevant.”

A number of IFs have already cleared Russians to take part in their respective sports, including the International Shooting Sport Federation, the International Tennis Federation and World Archery.

The worldwide governing bodies of swimming, rowing, canoeing and modern pentathlon have each banned a number of Russian athletes.

A total of 85 have currently been excluded from the Games, including 68 track and field competitors who failed in their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to get their suspension overturned.