The RRF has dismissed reports they will appeal their men’s quadruple sculls crew’s ban from the Rio 2016 ©RRF

The Russian Rowing Federation (RRF) has dismissed reports they will appeal their men’s quadruple sculls crew’s ban from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

It had been suggested that the RRF would contest the decision made by World Rowing to ban the crew from the Games after Sergei Fedorovtsev tested positive for trimetazidine in an out-of-competition test conducted by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) on May 17.

The Athens 2004 gold medallist was a member of the crew which secured their place at Rio 2016 at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne in Switzerland on May 24, along with Nikita Morgachev, Artem Kosov and Vladislav Ryabcev.

Reports then surfaced that the RRF would take World Rowing to sport’s supreme court after President Veniamin But told the TASS news agency they were “preparing the documents and that “we will launch an appeal to CAS”.

insidethegames understands, however, that the RRF will not take any legal action against rowing’s worldwide governing body for the withdrawal of the Russian men’s quadruple scull Olympic licence.

The development paves the way for New Zealand’s quartet Jade Uru, Nathan Flannery, George Bridgewater and John Storey to take the place which was stripped from Russia.

Russia's quadruple sculls crew are set to remain banned from Rio 2016 after the country's rowing federation dismissed reports they would appeal to the CAS ©Getty Images
Russia's quadruple sculls crew are set to remain banned from Rio 2016 after the country's rowing federation dismissed reports they would appeal to the CAS ©Getty Images

They had been made to sweat on whether they would replace the Russian team when reports emerged of a potential appeal but it now looks as though they will be on the start line at next month’s Games in the Brazilian city.

It had been claimed that a number of rowers from New Zealand were undertaking a pre-Olympic training regime in the hope they may be given the chance to compete in Rio.

Their men’s quadruple sculls crew had initially missed out on qualification for the Games after they finished third at the event in Lucerne in May.

The news comes after CAS confirmed that a verdict on Russia's suspension by the International Association of Athletics Federations will be delivered by July 21.

This follows a request to initiate a fast-track procedure in order to boost their chances of appearing in Rio.

The appeal has been filed jointly between the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and 68 athletes, CAS revealed.

It will be heard on July 19 at the Lausanne-based court.