Russian Federation has been stripped of hosting rights for next year’s IAAF World Race Walking Cup, and Athletics Australia has confirmed their interest in bidding.
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Coe, writing at the end of a dramatic week which saw the IAAF provisionally suspend Russian Federation following a report from the World Anti-Doping Agency that uncovered evidence of state-controlled doping in the country, added it had been a “horror show” for athletics.
Meanwhile, a new committee would work closely with the IAAF to address the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) allegations that led to the ban, he said.
Gemili, the only British athlete to run under 10 seconds for the 100m and 20 seconds for the 200m, also urged fans not to “lose faith” in track and field despite the problems that have rocked the sport to its foundations in recent weeks.
“The situation is compliance”, he said by telephone from Lausanne, Switzerland.
Bach said it will fall to the IAAF and WADA to rule whether the Russians are compliant. One action point will see the ROC “coordinate all efforts in Russia to address the issues mentioned in the Independent Commission Report” with a view to making the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) compliant with the WADA code and anti-doping regulations.
Former IAAF president Lamine Diack is being probed by the French authorities after the Senegalese was alleged to have received more than €1 million (S$1.53 million) in bribes to cover up positive doping tests of Russian athletes. He also revealed the “firestorm” unleashed by an independent Wada investigation that found Russian Federation guilty of a state-sponsored doping programme which sabotaged the London 2012 Olympics was set to have far-reaching consequences for the anti-doping movement.
He said that both the IOC president, Thomas Bach, and the heads of worldwide federations were pushing for the latter.
“We’re not convinced there’s enough time between now and then for them to clean up their act”, David Kenworthy, the chair of iNADO and the UK Anti-Doping in Britain, told The Associated Press. “For me, this is pure speculation at this point”.
“There are discussions about this in sporting circles”, Isinbayeva said of the prospect of Russian track and field athletes competing as independents in Rio. A similar measure was used at last year’s Winter Olympics for Indian athletes after their national Olympic committee was suspended for government interference.
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“I don’t think any country is on the grand scale Russian Federation is, but there are definitely other countries who need to be more closely investigated”.
