Rio Olympics 2016: 5 biggest Russian athletes we will miss at the Games

3) Alexander Dyachenko

Alexander Dyachenko is one of the five canoeists who have been denied participation at Rio 2016

Alexander Dyachenko is a Russian sprint canoeist who has represented his country at various international competitions. His achievements include winning the gold medal (K-2 200m) at the 2013 Duisburg World Championships, winning three silver medals (K-1 4x200m: 2011, K-1 4x200m: 2013 and K-2 200m: 2015) at the World Championships and two bronze medals (K-1 4x200 m: 2010 and K-4 200 m: 2009).

But his best major victory was that at the 2012 London Olympics where he won the gold medal in the men’s double kayak 200m with Yury Postrigay. Just like Yulia Efimova, Alexander Dyachenko, is one of the five canoeists who have been ruled out after being named in a recent report by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren alleging a state-sponsored doping cover-up.

All the athletes who have been named in the McLaren report have been denied the chance to participate at the Games. Dyachenko’s absence at the Games means that Russia has already lost several medals even before the Games have started.