Olympics Rio 2016: Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva retires

Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva retires

19/08/2016 at 17:13Updated 19/08/2016 at 18:17

Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva has retired from competition.

The news comes a day after the two-time Olympic gold medalist was voted on to the IOC athletes’ commission, despite being suspended from competition due to Russia’s athletics ban.

Isinbayeva was a vocal critic of the decision to ban Russian athletes from the Rio Games, claiming that it denied her a final chance at Olympic glory even though she was an athlete with no individual history of doping.

The court ruling was a “funeral for athletics” according to Isinbayeva, who also insinuated that Russia had been scapegoated for the incident and said on her election to the IOC commission that she will “never forgive IOC for Rio ban”.

Isinbayeva is the reigning world record holder in pole vault and has won three world titles to go alongside her Olympic golds.