Russia's fencing team cleared to take part in Rio Olympics amid doping scandal

Fencing's governing federation (FIE) has reportedly cleared the Russia team to take part in the Rio Olympic Games, which get underway next week.

The International Olympic Committee has left it up to each sport's federation to decide whether or not to allow Russian athletes to compete amid allegations of widespread doping.

Richard McLaren's report - commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency - accused Russia of operating a state-sponsored doping programme from 2011 to 2015.

According to news agency R-Sport, the FIE has opted to give 16 Russian fencers and four reserves the green light to compete in Brazil after results from 197 drug samples from the last two years came back negative in re-testing.

Sixty-seven track and field athletes were already banned from the Games, but since the IOC's decision not to implement a blanket ban, individual federations have barred 41 Russians so far.