International Olympic president Thomas Bach said on Wednesday (27th July) that athletes he had met in Rio were "appreciative" of the IOC's ruling that Russia should not face a blanket ban at the Games, and that the Olympic Village in Rio would be "fantastic" despite some complaints about sub-standard accommodation.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Thomas Bach, IOC President (on IOC's decision not to place a blanket ban on Russia's athletes, but to leave decisions on eligibility to the governing bodies of individual sports):

"This is a decision we just had the opportunity to discuss with some athletes, and I think the general feeling is that it is appreciated that, on the one hand, we are sanctioning a (doping) system, but on the other hand we have given athletes who were not part of the system the opportunity to demonstrate this and then to be allowed to take part in the Olympic Games. This is what it is about, to protect the clean athletes all over the world, and all the athletes I have met here were very appreciative of this approach."

SOUNDBITE (English) Thomas Bach, IOC President

"In the end you will see a fantastic Olympic Village and great Games. The Brazilians will overwhelm all of us with their passion, with their joy of life, their great hospitality."