In the wake of a report alleging widespread doping in Russia, the global track and field federation has barred that country’s track athletes from competing internationally.
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The world’s governing body for track and field athletics voted overwhelmingly on November 13 to suspend Russian Federation from global competition following a scathing report on athlete doping. This is the first time that a country has been suspended from IAAF.
“The decision was taken at today’s 201st IAAF Council Meeting which was held by teleconference and chaired from London by IAAF President Sebastian Coe”.
The suspension was deemed provisional, as no end point was specified, but it began immediately, with Russian athletes now banned from sanctioned worldwide competition.
“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. “We will get the change that we want and only then will Russian athletes be able to return to competition”.
“I think what will come out is that there will be given targets for the Russians to meet, and I’m pretty sure there Russians will be in Rio”.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, speaking to The Associated Press on Thursday in a telephone interview, said there will “not in any case… never” be a boycott.
“We are ready to tighten measures of responsibility, including administrative responsibility and, probably, think about criminal charges”, Mutko said following a meeting of sports officials with President Vladimir Putin here, reports Xinhua.
The double Olympic champion has been criticised for previously calling media investigations into the allegations a “declaration of war on my sport”, and for referring to Diack as the “spiritual” leader of athletics.
“To ban [those who are] innocent and not connected to that doping scandal from competing in worldwide events and the Olympic Games in Rio is not fair”.
As stunning as the IAAF’s punishment was, so, too was the scope and boldness of the doping uncovered by the WADA commission. He had previously said Russian Federation is prepared to follow WADA recommendations, the news agency reported. Wada’s allegations range from extortion and the destruction of 1,400-odd samples by a Moscow laboratory to the involvement of the Russian security service, the FSB. There also was evidence that members of Russia’s security agency infiltrated the drug-testing lab at the Sochi Olympics.
WADA did not reply after being reached for comment about how, if at all, its commissioned report reflects on Russian cycling. If the suspension remains in effect through the indoor track season, there will not be a Russian team at the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships, scheduled for March 17-20 in Portland, Oregon. This sends a clear message to clean athletes that protecting them and protecting the sport, with a culture of accountability, is our top priority.
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A World Anti-Doping Agency committee found Russia’s anti-doping operation non-compliant with its code Friday and also concluded that the track team might not be the only Russian squad with issues.
