'What do you mean by shortly?' Word of which Russian athletes will compete coming down to the wire

There are moments when it seems that getting an answer — a straight answer — out of the International Olympic Committee could quite possibly be its own medal-worthy event.

Even as the Russian delegation was gathering in the Athletes Village to raise the flag, the already baggy-eyed journalists covering the Games were practically begging IOC spokesman Mark Adams for something approximating clarity on that very same team: When will we know which Russians can compete? 

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It's not an outrageous question.

The evidence about Russian doping, and the role of the state in facilitating or actively hiding it, has been building for years. It really started to pick up in the spring. By mid-June, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) decided Russian track and field athletes could not compete. The world anti-doping agency then released an investigation into the depths of the state involvement in Russian doping. It wasn't until late July when the IOC declared individual sporting federations would have to decide about the rest of the athletes.

And then, just last week, a tweak. The international federations might not have the final say at all.

Athletes could appeal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) would issue rulings and THEN it would be a three-member IOC panel that would have the final say. The argument was that it was only THIS route that would ensure fairness for the individual athletes. The rules appear to change as fast as the names on the roster.

And so, knock knock, any answers there?

The torch is practically hovering over the Olympic cauldron. They are cutting it so close, this might require a line judge.

The journalists surely tried to find out.

At a late-day, already delayed news conference on Wednesday night, here's a bit of how that attempt went.

Reporter: "Will there be an official statement from the IOC?"

Mark Adams: "There will be a full statement in due course, which should be shortly."

Attempts to define shortly

OK. Fair enough. A few more questions. Then another reporter, clearly worried about the clock, deadlines and the late hour, pressed him again.

Reporter: "What do you mean by shortly? 30 minutes, 50 minutes, one hour?"

Mark Adams: "I don't know. I'm not running the review process. We have, I think, eight days to go through this process if we want to make sure that we to give individual athletes a chance to have individual justice. It will take as long as it has to take but still obviously being in time for them to compete in the Olympic Games."

So after initially indicating that the IOC would have a decision before the opening ceremony, now the suggestion that they can — and might — just push it even further.

Ever hopeful for something approximating clarity, one last reporter took his best shot.

Reporter: "Sorry Mark, on a purely practical level, are you — can we sort of — do we need to brace for the possible publication tonight of this IOC panel statement on the Russian athletes? Or are you saying that it won't come tonight now?" 

Mark Adams: "I think that's a question that you should ask me afterward … hahaha."

Adams really did laugh a congenial, slightly tired laugh. And that was that: the news conference was over.

Presumably that enterprising and connected reporter did manage to have a quiet word after. He likely now knows more than most. Good for him.

But what about the athletes? These fit souls are notoriously calm under pressure; it's their natural habitat. But somewhere in the Village are Russian athletes, clean and otherwise, wondering if they are all dressed up and good to go — or about to be sent home on a plane. Similarly, their competitors are wondering just what sort of athlete will be lining up against them, clean or not.

There is a strange Russian scorecard being marked in pencil now. Judo players? All 11 of them? In. Weightlifters? Forget it, they're gone. Rowers? Seventeen tried to appeal their ban but didn't succeed. They are out. Track and field? Definitely not in Rio. Swimmers? Twenty-nine are in, three are out.

Wait, that's changing as I type. Or not. It has become hard to know what is definite in this matter.

And already the CAS has handled more appeal cases this week than it did during the entire 2012 London Games. Given the Rio 2016 opening ceremony hasn't even happened yet, they better brace for a busy few weeks.

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