STILL BANNED!
Russia’s ban from international track and field was extended yesterday by the IAAF as key Russian sports and political figures continue to deny operating any doping system.
Track’s world-governing body unanimously accepted a recommendation from its Russia tas force not to reinstate Russia. That is a blow to Russia’s chances of competing under its own flag at March’s world indoor championships in the British city of Birmingham.
“It is our responsibility to create that landscape where there is trust,” IAAF president Sebastian Coe said.
The current IAAF position of allowing some Russians to compete as so-called neutral athletes after reviews of their drug-testing history allows “separation where possible of the clean athletes from a tainted system”, Coe added.
While the IAAF has been cautiously optimistic about reforms to the Russian track federation, a key obstacle is the refusal of Russia’s sports and political leadership to admit any kind of doping programme existed. Russia’s national anti-doping agency also remains suspended.
While reforms are under way within Russian sports bodies, “the broader question ... is whether they will be able to operate in a system which we can trust, and I think that is what needs to be addressed by Russian authorities,” the IAAF’s Russia task force head, Rune Andersen, said.
EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT
The task force’s latest report on Russia, published yesterday, notes “extreme disappointment” at what it says is insufficient communication from the Russian authorities. The Russian government has repeatedly denied having any involvement in doping and says there was only a smallerscale plot by a group of rogue anti-doping employees.
Russia was suspended in November 2015 after the World Anti-Doping Agency found evidence of widespread doping. Nineteen Russians were allowed to compete as neutrals at August’s world championships, winning one gold and five silver medals.
After the IAAF ruling yesterday, the Russian track federation said it would continue to focus on helping its athletes gain eligibility
as neutrals.