Iaaf Confirms Russia London 2017 Ban

07 Feb 2017 | tshego

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The International Association of Athletics Federatoin (IAAF) has voted to continue Russia’s ban until later this year, which means the country will not take part in the IAAF World Championships London 2017.

The IAAF has indicated the Russian Athletics Federation was unlikely to be reinstated until the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) is compliant with the rules, which is not expected until November at the earliest.

Russia was suspended by the IAAF in November 2015, but some athletes will be able to compete under a neutral banner, if they meet certain criteria.

More than 1,000 Russian athletes were part of a state-sponsored doping programme between 2011 and 2015 according to the McLaren report, commissioned by WADA. A re-testing programme also took the number of proven drug cheats who competed at London 2012 Olympic Games to at least 61.

Rune Andersen, the independent chairman of the IAAF Taskforce, said: “The road map that I outlined… clearly states there will be no reinstatement until RUSADA is functioning… and presumably if everything goes to plan there will be a full reinstatement by November 2017.

“This meant Russia as a nation, or RUSAF, is not recommended by us to be reinstated before that time.”

IAAF president Lord Coe added: “We have always been at pains to provide an opportunity for athletes who can demonstrate they are from a clean system, where we are comfortable that the registered testing pool is a valid one, and that they are under international supervision.

“But most importantly we are not going to jeopardise the opportunities and the chances of clean athletes who are competing alongside them. We have always felt that that is a proportionate response.”