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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.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, he added.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 yetWe 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.---AP Sports Writer Mauricio Savarese contributed.Wholesale Penguins Jerseys . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Pittsburgh Penguins Shirts .Y. - Nelson Mandela will be honoured by the New York Yankees with a plaque in Monument Park. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/ .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. Penguins Jerseys 2020 . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge. Stitched Penguins Jerseys . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from.CLEVELAND -- The 2016 Cleveland Indians were good enough to win the franchises first American League pennant in 19 years and come agonizingly close to bringing the city its first World Series victory since 1948.Given all the injuries the Indians endured and obstacles they had to overcome, its not outlandish to think theyll return as an even better, more formidable team in 2017.Clevelands front office has some significant decisions to make this offseason, for sure. First baseman Mike Napoli, who led the team with 34 homers and 101 RBIs and was so beloved that Party at Napolis T-shirts were a de rigeur fashion statement at Progressive Field, is eligible for free agency this winter. So is outfielder Rajai Davis, who led the American League with 43 stolen bases and hit a home run so momentous it made the stadium shake late Wednesday night.But the nucleus of the team is intact, and the Indians track record should inspire faith that president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti, general manager Mike Chernoff and Clevelands front office group will make a lot of smart calls.Recent history substantiates that the Indians are adept at squeezing every dollar out of a payroll that annually ranks in MLBs bottom third. Since the start of 2013, the Indians have recorded an American League-leading 352 regular-season victories. Thats one more game than the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals have won in the same span, and more victories than the Detroit Tigers (343), New York Yankees (340), Boston Red Sox (339) and Toronto Blue Jays (339) have amassed with greater star power and more ample resources.We feel like our organization is really healthy right now, Chernoff said. We dont feel like this is a one-year wonder in that way. Its not a team where were losing six or seven of our starting players at the end of the year. Its a team where were potentially losing a couple of key free agents, but a big part of the core is here for the long run.Several rival executives surveyed by ESPN.com point out that the Indians lack the star-studded array of young talent of their World Series rivals, the Cubs. It would be a challenge for any organization to assemble a young position player nucleus to match Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell, Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber and Willson Contreras.But a spin through Clevelands 25-man roster reveals that most of the pieces are in place for the Indians to remain relevant for the next several years:? A young, cornerstone franchise player. Check.Francisco Lindor is a multi-talented, switch-hitting shortstop with the potential to be a perennial MVP candidate. Hell begin next season at age 23, and the Indians have seen enough to know that a taste of success on the big stage wont blunt his desire to be great. There were few more exciting moments in World Series Game 7 than the sight of Lindor ranging behind second base to take a hit from Dexter Fowler, then raising his arms and exhorting fans to get on their feet.Lindor is a stud, an American League front-office man said. Hes completely changed that franchise.? Controllable young position players behind him. Check.Jose Ramirez, 24, logged an impressive .312/.363/.462 slash line while splitting his time between left field and third base this season. All he does is rake. And former first-round pick Tyler Naquin is a good bet to finish third in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting behind Detroits Michael Fulmer and the Yankees Gary Sanchez (in whichever order they appear). Naquin will just need to get past the disappointment of a memorably bad night in World Series Game 6.? Controllable veteran players who double as team leaders. Check.Outfielder Michael Brantley, in the prime of his career at age 29, appeared in a mere 11 games before going down for the year with a shoulder injury in May. The man known as Dr. Smooth is signed for $7.5 million in 2017, and the Indians have an $11 million club option in 2018.Jason Kipnis is in the middle of a six-year, $52.5 million contract that runs three more years and could extend through 2020 if the Indians exercise a final option year. Since Kipnis became a regular in 2012, he ranks seventh among MLB second basemen in hits (771), home runs (69) and doubles (167) and and is sixth in RBIs (335). Hes 29 years old and coming off one of his best seasons.? A bona ffide ace.ddddddddddddCheck.Corey Kluber went through a lot to establish himself as one of MLBs elite starters. Because of that, the Indians were able to sign him to a relatively club-friendly deal that pays him annual salaries of $7.5 million, $10.5 million and $13 million over the next three seasons. The Indians also have club options of $13.5 million and $14 million in 2020 and 2021. If Kluber stays with the team for the duration, hell be 35 in the final year of his deal.? Depth behind the ace. Check.Since the start of the 2014 season, Danny Salazar ranks sixth among MLB starters (minimum 400 innings pitched) with a ratio of 9.91 strikeouts per nine innings. Carlos Carrasco is seventh in that span at 9.81.The five pitchers ahead of them: Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Chris Sale and Kluber.Carrasco has two years left on a four-year, $22 million contract, and Indians have club options for 2019 and 2020. Salazar and Trevor Bauer, who went 12-8 with a 4.26 ERA in 190 innings, are both eligible for free agency after the 2020 season.? An established closer. Check.Cody Allen, who has been solid since taking over as Indians closer in 2014, took his game to another level in October -- with a 24-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 13? scoreless innings. He has two years of arbitration left before he hits the open market.? A monster trade chip. Check.Indians fans might storm the Progressive Field gates if the team trades postseason icon Andrew Miller, but its a possibility that Antonetti and Chernoff might at least have to entertain in the offseason. Miller was amazing in October, but a $9 million per year setup man is a luxury for a small-to-mid-market team, and Miller wouldnt be able to survive physically if manager Terry Francona tried to use him this way over a 162-game regular season.Chernoff declined to address the teams specific thought process with Miller. But its worth noting that the Indians acquired Kluber, Carlos Santana, Brantley and Carrasco in trades when they were selling off veterans Jake Westbrook, Casey Blake, CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee, respectively.In years when were not competitive, we have to make some of those painful trades, Chernoff said. We have to be opportunistic when we can.If the Indians decide to make Miller available, hes certain to generate plenty of interest.There are so many teams looking for closers, his trade value is through the roof, a baseball insider said. You have the Dodgers, Nationals, Giants, Rangers and, ironically, the Cubs. I think those teams will all be calling about Mr. Miller.? A great manager. Check.Along with burnishing his Hall of Fame credentials, Francona has enhanced his reputation as a manager beloved by his players. That never hurts when Antonetti and Chernoff are trying to sell Cleveland as a potential destination to free agents.? Two ancillary factors also contribute to the bright outlook in Cleveland.The Indians farm system is in good shape even though they sent former No. 1 draft picks Clint Frazier and Justus Sheffield to New York in the Miller deal. The Indians have enough legit bats (Bradley Zimmer, Francisco Mejia, Bobby Bradley, Will Benson, Nolan Jones) and arms (Brady Aiken, Triston McKenzie) in the pipeline that they rank on the cusp of the top 10 systems in baseball -- if not higher.The AL Central is also in a state of flux at the moment. Minnesota is coming off a 59-win season and in rebuild mode behind a new leadership regime headed by former Indians executive Derek Falvey. The Chicago White Sox have been a disappointment and recently replaced manager Robin Ventura with Rick Renteria. The Detroit Tigers have an aging nucleus, the fourth-highest payroll in baseball at $172 million and a weak farm system. And while the Kansas City Royals deserve lots of respect for winning back-to-back pennants in 2014 and 2015, the Glass family appears to be in retrenchment mode and another rebuild could be on the way.Its a division thats winnable, and they have pieces in place that can help them win, a National League front-office man said of the Indians. They have some elements that should enable them to be good. Best-team-in-baseball good? I think thats to be determined. ' ' '