RIO DE JANEIRO — The split between Olympic leaders and global anti-doping officials over the Russian doping scandal continues to deepen.

The World Anti-Doping Agency fired back Monday, a day after the IOC president, Thomas Bach, suggested the agency was to blame for the last-minute chaos over the participation of Russian athletes in the Rio de Janeiro Games.

Bach said the agency should have acted sooner on evidence of state-sponsored doping rather than release the damning report by the Canadian investigator Richard McLaren so close to the games, which open Friday.

“While it is destabilizing in the lead-up to the games, it is obvious, given the seriousness of the revelations that (McLaren) uncovered, that they had to be published and acted upon without delay,” said the WADA president, Craig Reedie, in a statement.

Reedie, who is also an IOC vice president, said he wanted to set the record straight after Bach’s comments by explaining the agency’s handling of the allegations against the Russians.

RAFAEL NADAL is ready to play in the Olympics after being sidelined with a wrist injury for more than two months.

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Nadal, a 14-time major champion, hit for two hours with a fellow Spaniard, David Ferrer on a practice court at the Olympic Park.

THE HEAD of World Sailing is promising that a launching ramp that collapsed a few days ago will be ready Friday, three days before the sailing competition starts.

The launching ramp, one of the two being used at the Marina da Gloria venue, broke apart Saturday. Organizers are blaming strong waves and poor design.

THE CHIEF spokesman for the Rio Olympics said, “I can guarantee in the name of Rio 2016 that the athletes can compete in safety.”

Mario Andrada was responding to the publication of the latest water study, which found severe viral contamination in all outdoor aquatic venues.

CARMELO ANTHONY scored 19 points and the U.S. Olympic basketball team wrapped up its unbeaten exhibition tour with a 110-66 victory against Nigeria at Houston.

The Americans forced the African champions to miss their first 22 3-point shots and held them to 4 of 29 behind the arc.


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