ian athletes.The IOCs ruling executive board opens a two-day meeting on Saturday, its last formal gathering before next Friday nights opening ceremony at the Maracana stad

Andy Walker says Celtic have sound claims for favouritism ahead of Sundays Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers. Rangers are generally available at 4/1 while Celtic are on offer at around 4/6 for the Hampden showdown, live on Sky Sports from 11am on Sunday.And Walker, who played for Celtic in two spells between 1987 and 1996, believes the bookmakers have it spot on considering the merits of the respective squads. Speaking to Sky Sports Now, he said: Yes, they are comfortable favourites for me. I think when you look at what the bookies have got Celtic priced at with Rangers 4/1 or 5/1, I think its a fair reflection on the strength of each teams squad.Celtic go into this one as big favourites.Rangers manager Mark Warburton is reported to have labelled the game as just another football match, but Sky Sports pundit Walker believes he could not be further from the truth.Im born and bred in Glasgow and I went to these games as a youngster for many years and eventually I was lucky enough to play in one, he said. Mark Warburton says Sundays Glasgow Derby is just another game It blew me away, just the noise, the passion, the sheer determination and everything about the fixture. I dont think Mark will have experienced it before.That said, I think it is a bit of a free-hit for Mark Warburton. You have to remember this is very early in his Rangers career. Hes only had two transfer windows to put a team together, had very little money to spend and I dont think anyone would be looking at Mark Warburton and criticising him if Rangers lose. Ronny Deila in trouble if he loses, according to Andy Walker On the other hand, if Celtic lose you look at Ronny Deila and you can throw up a number of losses that have been painful for the Celtic supporters. Im thinking really of the Champions League so I think Celtic are under more pressure to deliver at the weekend and well need to wait and see if it is a pressure they can handle. Fellow Sky Sports Now guest Paul Dickov is another to question Warburtons claim, insisting no other game comes near it. Celtic striker, Leigh Griffiths, explains why this weekends Old-Firm derby against Rangers is as big as any. The former Arsenal and Manchester City striker, capped 10 times by Scotland, said: Im looking forward to it and Andy hit the nail on the head there. When you watch these games, the atmosphere just blows you away and it is like no other game I have ever been to.And I think Mark is playing it down a bit saying its just another game. Being born in Glasgow this is nowhere near just another game.I think Rangers have a decent chance. Defensively theyve not done well of late but at the same time in players like Harry Forrester - an old player of mine - they have match winners throughout the team.Celtic will be big favourites, of course they will, but its a game Im looking forward to.Watch the Glasgow derby on Sky Sports 2 HD from 11am this Sunday.By purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, you can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices. Also See: Larsson: Glasgow derby unique Deila needs Rangers win Rangers can cause upset New pitch for Hampden Maikel Franco Jersey . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. Drew Hutchison Jersey .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. http://www.philliesrookiestore.com/Phillies-Darren-Daulton-Kids-Jersey/ .ca NFL Power Rankings, overtaking the Denver Broncos and remaining ahead of NFC competition San Francisco, Carolina and New Orleans. Jim Bunning Jersey . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. Pete Rose Jersey . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. RIO DE JANEIRO -- International Olympic Committee leaders will meet in Rio de Janeiro this weekend to review the final preparations for the Games and deal with the fallout from the doping scandal that has led to the exclusion of more than 100 Russian athletes.The IOCs ruling executive board opens a two-day meeting on Saturday, its last formal gathering before next Friday nights opening ceremony at the Maracana stadium.The meeting comes less than a week after the IOC board decided not to ban Russias entire team from the games because of state-sponsored doping. Rejecting calls by more than a dozen anti-doping agencies for a complete ban on Russia, the IOC left it to individual sports federations to vet which athletes could compete.On Friday, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said that, so far, 272 of the countrys athletes had been cleared by international federations, out of an original team of 387. More than 100, however, have been barred -- including the track and field team banned by the IAAF and more than 30 other athletes rejected under new IOC eligibility criteria.Russias eight-member weightlifting team was kicked out of the Games on Friday for what the IOC called extremely shocking doping results that brought the sport into disrepute.The IOC has been roundly criticized by anti-doping bodies, athletes groups and Western media for not imposing a total ban on Russia. Pressure for the full sanction followed a World Anti-Doping Agency report by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren that accused Russias sports ministry of overseeing a vast doping conspiracy involving the countrys summer and winter sports athletes.IOC President Thomas Bach has defended the decision as protecting individual athletes from collective punishment.This is a decision we just had the opportunity to discuss with some athletes, Bach said in Rio. I think the general feeling is that it is appreciated that, on the onee 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.ddddddddddddRios preparations, meanwhile, remain clouded on several fronts, including budget cuts; raw sewage that pollutes the sites of rowing, sailing, canoeing, open-water swimming and triathlon; slow ticket sales; concerns over crime and the Zika virus. The Games come with President Dilma Rousseff awaiting an impeachment trial and the country gripped by a severe recession.The Australians and at least eight other Olympic teams complained this week about their accommodations in the athletes village, citing plumbing leaks, electrical faults and dirty conditions. On Friday, Australian athletes and staff had to be evacuated from their building after a small fire broke out in the basement. They returned safely after about 20 minutes.Bach remains publicly upbeat.In the end, you will see a fantastic Olympic Village and great games, he said. The Brazilians will overwhelm all of us with their passion, with their joy of life, their great hospitality and with their energy.The IOC will hold a three-day session next week, starting Tuesday. A top item on the agenda is Wednesdays vote on a recommendation to add five sports to the program of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics -- baseball/softball, surfing, karate, roller skating and sport climbing.The proposed sports -- backed by the executive board and to be voted on as a package -- would add 18 events and 474 athletes to the program.An IOC program commission report released on Friday said the five sports are a blend of the traditional and emerging, youth-focused events, and all have international and local appeal. ' ' '