With just 10 days to go until the start of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, a ban imposed on a Russian rowing team has opened the door for Bunbury’s Alex Hagan, 25, to compete as a member of the Australian Women’s Eight rowing squad.
Rio will be Hagan’s second Olympics, having competed at London 2012, and she will be joined on the team by Fiona Albert, Olympia Aldersey, cox Sarah Banting, Molly Goodman, Jessica Morrison, Lucy Stephan, Charlotte Sutherland and Meaghan Volker.
Talking to Channel 7’s Sunrise on Wednesday morning, Hagan joked she was sitting in a pub when she heard the news.
“It’s obviously exciting and we weren’t expecting it to happen even though it was in the pipeline but it’s very exciting to come out with just a few days before the start of the games,” she said.
On Tuesday night the International Rowing Federation FISA ruled the Russian crew ineligible to compete and awarded a qualification play to the Australian squad.
The disqualification of the Russian team comes as part of an ongoing doping saga.
Canadian law professor Richard McLaren produced an independent report that highlighted Russia had operated a state-sponsored doping program from 2011 to 2015. His report formed a recommendation from the World Anti-Doping Agency to the International Olympic Committee to ban Russia from competing in Rio.
Last week the IOC decided individual sports’ governing bodies should be left to decide if Russian competitiors are clean and should be allowed to take part.
Rowing Australia chairman Rob Scott said FISA’s swift response protects the integrity of Olympic rowing and its longstanding history of leadership in world anti-doping practices.
“We are thrilled that our women’s eight will be able to be nominated to the Olympic Team for Rio,” he said.
“The decision handed down by FISA, is an incredible boost for Australian women’s sweep rowing and women’s rowing in general.
“To have more women being given the opportunity to compete at the pinnacle level of their sport will provide the inspiration for others to follow in their footsteps.”
Scott said Rowing Australia had always been committed to clean and fair competition.
The Australian squad were listed as the first reserves for the Olympics after a third place finish at a qualifying regatta in Switzerland last month.
Scott confirmed the team had been maintaining a training regime in the hope of a last minute call up and will immediately focus on getting to Brazil in time to compete.
The decision to include the Australian Women’s Eight squad in Rio bolsters the Australian Olympic Team to 419 athletes (212 women and 207 men) – the first time at a summer games the national team has more women than men.
More Australian athletes could be added in the coming days with rulings on Russian athletes still to be handed down.