Rio Olympics: Kiwi crew still hoping on late Olympic call-up

New Zealand Rowing Men's Coxless Four, (L-R) Anthony Allen, Patrick McInnes, Axel Dickinson and Drikus Conradie - during the media day at the Lake Karapiro. Photo / Brett Phibbs.

Rowing New Zealand's clinging to a glimmer of hope its mens four may yet head to Rio.

Rowing's governing body FISA has announced a total of 22 Russian rowers are ineligible for Rio with four boats, the lightweight men's four, lightweight men's pair, men's eight and women's eight withdrawn.

Crews from Greece, Italy and Australia will replace them.

But Russia has the possibility to field a men's four with six rowers eligible with FISA now awaiting Russia's response.

The New Zealand crew of Drikus Conradie, Axel Dickinson, Paddy McInnes and Anthony Allenis are the next in line to potentially claim a spot in the men's four if one was to open up.

Rowing NZ CEO Simon Peterson says the men's four are still in limbo and confirmed to Radio Sport that they were out on the water at Lake Karapiro, continuing their training in case of a late call-up.

A final decision will be made within 24 hours.

The New Zealand men's quad of George Bridgewater, John Storey, Jadu Uru and Nathan Flannery won a belated trip to Rio after a Russian sculler failed a doping test last month.