No end to drug ban for Russia athletes

ATHLETICS’ global governing body, the IAAF, have once again led the way in taking a stance against Russian doping by upholding their ban of the country’s athletes into 2019. A decision that will embarrass the World Anti-Doping Agency, who have reinstated Russia despite their failure to meet all the necessary conditions, was confirmed at the IAAF’s annual congress in Monaco yesterday. Led by the IAAF president Lord Coe, the organisation banned Russia in November 2015 following revelations of a statesponsored doping programme. And yesterday the IAAF said the ban will remain until samples and data from Moscow’s former anti-doping laboratory are made available, and Russia will also be ordered to pay costs incurred by the IAAF. ‘I hope they’ll deliver the data by the end of this year,’ said Rune Andersen, head of the IAAF’s task force on Russia. ‘But we’ve received no assurances that it will be delivered to us directly. ‘Assurances have been given to WADA, and WADA have set a deadline of December 31 to receive the data. ‘We’ll have to rely on receiving the data before handing it to the Athletics Integrity Unit.’ This is the ninth time that the IAAF has turned down Russia’s appeal for reinstatement and it means they will not be allowed to compete under their own flag at the European Indoor Championships in February. Sports minister Mims Davies said: ‘Doping scandals in athletics have damaged the faith of fans and competitors, and the IAAF decision today is a clear message that Russia must co-operate fully before they can be back in the fold.’ The ruling came on the day the Court of Arbitration for Sport handed Russian curler Alexander Krushelnitsky a four-year ban for his positive dope test at the Pyeongchang Olympics in February. DINA ASHER-SMITH was beaten to the world female athlete of the year award in Monaco last night by Caterine Ibarguen, the Colombian long jumper and triple jumper.