Russians in neutral gear

2015 drug ban means no national uniform, flag at world athletics titles

THEY will not hear their anthem if they win and their national colours — even on nail polish — are strictly forbidden.

But a group of Russian athletes is back at the world athletics championships, which begin in London this weekend.

Almost two years after a blanket suspension for widespread doping, and a year after just one Russian was allowed to compete on the Olympic track in Rio de Janeiro, 19 will compete at the world championships.

They’ll officially be “neutral athletes,” or individuals not representing any country.

Sergei Shubenkov won the 110m hurdles at the 2015 world championships, but had to sit out the Olympics last year because of the ban.

Decked out in an electricblue Russia tracksuit at his na- tional championships last Friday, he lamented he still could not “take this beautiful, awesome uniform to the worlds and flaunt it”.

Keen to head off any Russian celebrations, the International Association of Athletics Federations has issued the 19 neutrals with strict codes of conduct. The Russian flag and national colours of red, white and blue are banned, so uni- forms in neutral colours must be approved by the IAAF.

If the neutrals win, the IAAF’s anthem will play.

Under the rules, an athlete who sings the Russian anthem faces a fine.

The rules “seem tough and a bit ridiculous,” said Shubenkov, who jokingly suggested there might be a loophole for fur hats. “Bringing a bear on a leash, would that count?” An- other Russian — or “neutral” — medal contender is reigning world high jump champion Maria Lasitskene, who won every round of the Diamond League this season.

She just wants to block out the whole doping controversy.

“I don’t want to waste my emotions on that. I need them for the competition,” she said.

Sergei Shirobokov, an 18year-old racewalker, has promise, but would be a controversial champion given his links to a training centre where more than 25 athletes have been banned for doping.

Among the absentees are 2012 Olympic high jump champion Ivan Ukhov and former world indoor triple jump champion Lyukman Adams.

Russian media reported both were refused neutral status by the IAAF.