Brooke Stratton feels for fellow Australian Bronwyn Thompson, who was controversially denied a long jump medal at the Athens Olympics.
As a genuine medal contender at the Rio Olympics, Australian
long jumper Brooke Stratton has plenty of skin in the game regarding the
doping bans hanging over Russia.
Russian athletes have medalled in the women's long jump at each of the past four Olympics, including a controversial sweep at the 2004 Athens Games when Australian Bronwyn Thompson was relegated to fourth spot.
Two of those medallists - Irina Meleshina and Tatyana Kotova - later served doping bans, although they kept their 2004 Olympic medals.
Stratton succeeded Thompson as the national record holder earlier this year and often works with the Queenslander's coach Gary Bourne.
"Occasionally Gary has brought up the fact that it was extremely unfair that Bronwyn placed fourth at the Olympics," Stratton said on Thursday.
"He was just disappointed that she was coming through when there was a lot of doping in Russia and she definitely deserved to be on the podium the year she placed fourth."
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is due to rule on Thursday (early Friday AEST) on the legality of a recommendation by track and field's world governing body (IAAF) banning 68 qualified Russian track and field athletes from Rio due to (state-sponsored" doping.
The International Olympic Committee's executive board will then decide on Sunday (Monday AEST) whether to impose a blanket ban on Russia at the Rio Olympics.
Only two Russian track and field athletes - 800m runner and whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova and US-based long jumper Darya Klishina - have received permission to compete in Rio under a neutral flag.
"(Klishina) obviously wouldn't have had a lot to do with it over in Russia which is fair enough," said Stratton.
"... I personally don't think they should (compete in Rio).
"I think if they send one or two athletes that haven't been in Russia then they should just not send any at all.
"I think it will get the point across that what they are doing is wrong."
Russian athletes have medalled in the women's long jump at each of the past four Olympics, including a controversial sweep at the 2004 Athens Games when Australian Bronwyn Thompson was relegated to fourth spot.
Two of those medallists - Irina Meleshina and Tatyana Kotova - later served doping bans, although they kept their 2004 Olympic medals.
Stratton succeeded Thompson as the national record holder earlier this year and often works with the Queenslander's coach Gary Bourne.
"Occasionally Gary has brought up the fact that it was extremely unfair that Bronwyn placed fourth at the Olympics," Stratton said on Thursday.
"He was just disappointed that she was coming through when there was a lot of doping in Russia and she definitely deserved to be on the podium the year she placed fourth."
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is due to rule on Thursday (early Friday AEST) on the legality of a recommendation by track and field's world governing body (IAAF) banning 68 qualified Russian track and field athletes from Rio due to (state-sponsored" doping.
The International Olympic Committee's executive board will then decide on Sunday (Monday AEST) whether to impose a blanket ban on Russia at the Rio Olympics.
Only two Russian track and field athletes - 800m runner and whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova and US-based long jumper Darya Klishina - have received permission to compete in Rio under a neutral flag.
"(Klishina) obviously wouldn't have had a lot to do with it over in Russia which is fair enough," said Stratton.
"... I personally don't think they should (compete in Rio).
"I think if they send one or two athletes that haven't been in Russia then they should just not send any at all.
"I think it will get the point across that what they are doing is wrong."
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