The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is upholding the ban on Russian track and field athletes.
IAAF president Sebastian Coe announced the decision at a news conference Friday in Vienna, saying several important verification criteria had not been satisfied.
“Although good progress has been made, the IAAF council was unanimous that RusAF [Russian Athletics Federation] had not met the reinstatement conditions and that Russian athletes could not credibly return to international competition without undermining the confidence of their competitors and the public,” Coe said. “As a result, RusAF has not been reinstated to membership of the IAAF at this stage.”
The IAAF council, chaired by Coe, made the decision after receiving a recommendation from a five-person task force, headed by Norway’s Rune Andersen, that had been monitoring Russia’s reform efforts.
“For Russian athletes to be reinstated into international competition, RusAF must show that there is now a culture of zero tolerance towards doping in Russian athletics and that RusAF, RUSADA [Russian Anti-Doping Agency], and the public authorities in Russia, working in cooperation, have created an anti-doping infrastructure that is effective in detecting and deterring cheats, and therefore provides reasonable assurance and protection to clean athletes both inside and outside of Russia,” Andersen said.
Andersen also said Russia will most likely be ready for full compliance in 18 to 24 months.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Friday that the IAAF’s decision was expected, TASS news agency reported. Mutko also said Russia would definitely react to the decision.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is upholding the ban on Russian track and field athletes.
IAAF president Sebastian Coe announced the decision at a news conference Friday in Vienna, saying several important verification criteria had not been satisfied.
“Although good progress has been made, the IAAF council was unanimous that RusAF [Russian Athletics Federation] had not met the reinstatement conditions and that Russian athletes could not credibly return to international competition without undermining the confidence of their competitors and the public,” Coe said. “As a result, RusAF has not been reinstated to membership of the IAAF at this stage.”
The IAAF council, chaired by Coe, made the decision after receiving a recommendation from a five-person task force, headed by Norway’s Rune Andersen, that had been monitoring Russia’s reform efforts.
“For Russian athletes to be reinstated into international competition, RusAF must show that there is now a culture of zero tolerance towards doping in Russian athletics and that RusAF, RUSADA [Russian Anti-Doping Agency], and the public authorities in Russia, working in cooperation, have created an anti-doping infrastructure that is effective in detecting and deterring cheats, and therefore provides reasonable assurance and protection to clean athletes both inside and outside of Russia,” Andersen said.
Andersen also said Russia will most likely be ready for full compliance in 18 to 24 months.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Friday that the IAAF’s decision was expected, TASS news agency reported. Mutko also said Russia would definitely react to the decision.
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