Once again, the people who run the Olympics just can't say no to Vladimir Putin.
Not when he spends more than $50 billion to host a winter Olympics to show off a resurgent Russia. Not when he talks darkly about returning to the days of Olympic boycotts in 1980 and 1984.
Certainly not when he suggests that doping officials of one powerful country — can you guess which one? — are behind efforts to ban Russia from the Rio Olympics.
When Putin talks, Olympic officials listen. And that's the biggest reason why Russian athletes — at least some of them — will march in opening ceremonies less than two weeks from now in Brazil.