a new group of guys, including Earnhardt crew chief Greg Ives and spotter TJ Ma

RIO DE JANEIRO -- IOC president Thomas Bach issued another defense of his handling of the Russian doping scandal Monday, saying the decision not to exclude the entire Russian team from the Rio de Janeiro Olympics was based on human rights and justice. Rollie Fingers Athletics Jersey .Bach used his speech at the opening ceremony of the IOCs general assembly to address the continuing criticism of the Olympic bodys response to evidence of state-sponsored doping in Russia, declaring that individual athletes cannot be punished for the wrongdoing of their government.This decision is about justice, Bach said. Justice has to be independent from politics. Whoever responds to a violation of the law with another violation of the law is destroying justice.Rejecting calls from anti-doping bodies for a total ban on Russia, the IOC instead gave international sports federations the authority to rule on the entry of individual Russian athletes. The IOC also ruled that any Russian athletes with prior doping sanctions could not compete in the Rio Games, which open Friday.While more than 100 Russians -- including the track and field team -- have been banned from the games, more than 250 have so far been cleared to compete by the federations.We had to take the necessary decisions, Bach said. Because of the seriousness of the allegations, we could not uphold the presumption of innocence for Russian athletes. On the other hand, we cannot deprive an athlete of the human right to be given the opportunity to prove his or her innocence.You cannot punish a human being for the failures of his or her government if he or she is not implicated. These principles are now being implemented.The IOCs rejection of a full ban has been harshly criticized by many anti-doping bodies, athletes groups and Western media.Calls for a blanket ban grew after Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, who was commissioned to investigate by the World Anti-Doping Agency, issued a report accusing Russias sport ministry of orchestrating a vast doping scheme involving athletes in more than two dozen winter and summer sports.If proven true, such a contemptuous system of doping is an unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport and on the Olympic Games, Bach said. With the Olympic Games just a few days away, we had to take action even though the McLaren report is not yet finished and the Russian side has not been heard yet.We took immediate measures to shed full light on the allegations. and more actions and sanctions will follow if necessary.Bach spoke at a ceremony ahead of the IOCs 129th session, a three-day assembly starting Tuesday.He expressed support for South Americas first Olympics, whose build-up has been overshadowed by Brazils political and economic crises and concerns over Zika, water pollution, crime and budget cuts.It has been a long and testing journey to get to this point, Bach said. It is no exaggeration to say that the Brazilians have been living through extraordinary times. The political and economic crisis in the country is unprecedented. It goes without saying that this situation has made the final preparations for the Olympic Games challenging.In a time when the country is divided politically, economically and socially, the transformation of Rio de Janeiro is truly historic. Rio de Janeiro would not be where it is today without the Olympic Games as a catalyst. Coco Crisp Jersey . A lawyer for MLB, Matthew Menchel, confirmed Wednesday the league dropped its case against Biogenesis of America, its owner Anthony Bosch and several other individuals. The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to violate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. Grant Holmes Jersey . Michell Burger, a woman who lives on an estate next to Pistorius gated community, said she and her husband were awoken by the screams in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14 last year, when Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp by shooting four times through a door in his bathroom. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/108...-athletics.html . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. INDIANAPOLIS -- Jeff Gordon stepping into the No. 88 car. What a strange sight.Gordon is No. 24 through and through. But not this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Not next weekend at Pocono Raceway.Hes No. 88 for the next two weeks. And no matter the car, he brings a winning pedigree with 93 career Sprint Cup wins and four championships, including five wins at the Brickyard heading into the race Sunday afternoon.Gordon said his goals have never changed -- get the most out of himself and the team. Which raises the question: Can he win in a substitute role despite not being in the car for eight months?It was important the first time out to find the edge and the grip level and the speed right away, which we did, Gordon said. If we can get the balance right in practice, I feel good about the race.Whats my goal? Ive always said I want to get the most out of the car, the most out of myself and the most the team can produce. I dont know what that is. Is that a win? Is that a fifth? Is that a 15th?With Dale Earnhardt Jr. out for a second consecutive week battling balance issues and nausea believed to be from concussions, Gordon will at least be in familiar colors -- his longtime sponsor Axalta is the sponsor of the car. So it looks normal. But then there is that big 88 on the side of Gordons car.That looks strange, but the 39 drivers with far more experience this year in the 2016 aerodynamic package will have the biggest influence on Gordons success.These guys are the best there is, Gordon said. This is an intense sport. You dont step out for eight months and just step back in and its easy. This stuff is not easy.Gordon was ninth in the first practice, 25th in final practice.The first lap was good, Gordon said. It was one of the bigger challenges Ive had as a race-car driver to come here without knowing the car and not being [on] ... any track all year long.That one got my attention, that first run.Gordon has earned everyones attention as he makes the unexpected return, but it also has folks at Hendrick Motorsports stoked. The organization has struggled recently, and it feels having Gordon in the car can provide a somewhat outsider perspective from someone who still works there.I dont think theres any risk -- he had a great career and no matter what he does, he could run last on Sunday and its not going to change that, says his former crew chief Ray Evernham, now a consultant at Hendrick. Catfish Hunter Athletics Jersey. But Im sure hes not going to run last. ... At this place, nobody has got a better record here than him. He still keeps himself in great shape.Evernham -- as everyone has at Hendrick Motorsports -- stressed that he is sad Earnhardt cant race. But having Gordon in the car seemed to make the most sense.Im really kind of glad Jeff is here this weekend, Evernham said. Its a way to rally around a bad situation.Chase Elliott?said he felt the same way. He replaced Gordon in the No. 24 car, and now he gets to race against him at least two more times.Its going to be neat, Elliott said. It will be a little different for everybody. But Im definitely happy to have Jeff on the team this weekend.The one thing Elliott has to worry about? Seeing Gordon in his pit as Gordon might want to drive into the pit with the No. 24 board. It wouldnt be surprising if Gordon uses a pit board with the Axalta logo.You cant plan, Gordon said. You dont know how you are going to react to it. To me, once I get behind the wheel and Im inside the car, I dont know what is on the outside of that car. Its a race car and Im going to be focused on driving, not focused on anything else.But when Im standing outside of it and Im looking at the No. 88 car and Dale Earnhardt Jr.s name over the door ... it is certainly a unique situation that I dont know how that is going to impact me.His biggest challenge will be working with a new group of guys, including Earnhardt crew chief Greg Ives and spotter TJ Majors.Drivers have won races with interim crew chiefs. But this challenge will be different for Gordon, said his teammate Jimmie Johnson.He is going to be fast, and competitive, Johnson said. But to really find that last little bit, I think is more in relationships and building those relationships in a hurry. ... He has been away from this side of the garage area. Hes been out of the race car.He doesnt know these crew guys. And as we all know, the relationships that exist between driver, crew chief and engineer is really where the speed lies. ' ' '