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Russia Files Appeal Against Doping Ban From Olympic Athletics

Her participation in the August 5-21 Games is subject to formal approval by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

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It was still unclear, however, if the middle distance runner would now be eligible to compete at the Rio Olympics, with the IAAF saying it was up to organisers to decide.

When announcing the reanalysis, the IOC stated that as a result, up to 31 athletes from six sports could be banned from competing at the Olympic Games in Rio.

“A letter has just come: the IAAF has suspended me starting today from all competitions for the time of the probe into the matter”, Chicherova said on Friday.

The IAAF on Friday said that it had accepted her application as the first athlete to compete under “exceptional eligibility”. The 800 heats will be on Wednesday.

But European Athletics, which is organizing the continental championships in Amsterdam next week, has already said it would go along with any decision on Stepanova’s eligibility.

The IAAF is reviewing the rest of the applications for eligibility from dozens of athletes.

“The IOC has taken note of the IAAF press release”, it said in a statement.

The All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF) helped 68 athletes file applications at the world athletics ruling body IAAF, ARAF president Dmitry Shlyakhtin said, adding that more athletes may have submitted requests on their own. That means they would use the Russian flag.

Stepanova and her husband Vitaly came forth and made public incriminating information as to the inside workings of Russian athletics and state complicit cover ups.

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If athletes pass the first test by the IAAF then they will be forwarded to the Doping Review Board for scrutiny to decide if they merit special neutral status. Russia’s own anti-doping agency was nearly entirely shut down a year ago after it faced coverup claims. While Brilliantova did not name the duo, they are likely to be the US-based long jumper Darya Klishina, who is a two-time European indoor champion, and the Italy-based pole vaulter Alyona Lutkovskaya.

Yuliya Stepanova nee Rusanova will be in the hot seat at Rio 2016 if she is able to run