The decision came Friday as track’s governing body, the IAAF, was meeting to decide whether to suspend Russia’s track team from worldwide competitions.
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No timeframe has been put on the Russian suspension but, in the short term, it means they are ineligible to compete at next month’s European Cross Country Championship in France.
IAAF president Sebastian Coe described the events leading up to the vote as a “shameful wake-up call” and conceded authoritities including the IAAF and WADA had to “look closely at ourselves”.
The worldwide Olympic Committee convened an urgent meeting of its executive board by video conference to consider what action to take in response to the corruption and doping crisis engulfing track and field.
Unless the Russian federation voluntarily accepts a full suspension, the IAAF will hold a hearing on whether the provisional suspension should be made a full suspension, the IAAF said in announcing todays ruling.
“We may miss one or two competitions, but for athletes with clean consciences to miss the Olympics or a world championships would be real stupidity”, he said in Moscow.
The WADA report, however, also found “systematic failures” at the IAAF that prevented “the possibility of an effective anti-doping program” in Russian Federation.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko criticized the decision as “very odd”, saying that the IAAF should have focused on its own legal problems, according to the Associated Press.
The IAAF took the action as a result of the doping scandal revealed Monday by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
“To regain membership to the IAAF the new federation would have to fulfill a list of criteria”, the IAAF said in a news release, without detailing those steps.
“With its zero-tolerance policy against doping, following the conclusion of this procedure, the IOC will take all the necessary measures and sanctions with regard to the withdrawal and reallocation of medals and as the case may be exclusion of coaches and officials from future Olympic Games”, the global Olympic Committee said.
“It is the strongest sanction that we could apply tonight”, Coe said.
Virgin Money London Marathon, London, April 24 – The streets of the capital host the annual mass-participation event.
The country’s IAAF council member was not allowed to participate in Friday’s vote.
On Thursday, IAAF vice president Sergei Bubka told the AP that he also opposes a blanket ban. Mary Kate Shea, who manages the elite fields for the Boston Marathon, told Runner’s World, “The race would follow the guidelines set by the IAAF in this matter”. The IAAF’s former anti-doping chief, Gabriel Dolle, is also under investigation for allegedly receiving 200,000 euros ($214,000) to cover up positive tests by Russian competitors.
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Following the announcement of the IAAF decision, WADA confirmed that it has initiated the process to assess the compliance of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA). Racewalking coach Viktor Chegin, who oversaw the training of several of the banned athletes, resigned in July amid allegations. However, in recent days, the tone shifted as President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the gravity of the problem and ordered an investigation by Russian sports leaders.
