The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) officially announced on Friday the decision to uphold the Russian Athletics Federation (RUSAF)'s ban for IAAF membership.
"The IAAF Council was unanimous that RUSAF had not met the reinstatement conditions and that Russian athletes could not credibly return to international competition without undermining the confidence of their competitors and the public. As a result, RUSAF has not been reinstated to membership of the IAAF at this stage… RUSAF remains suspended, no other representatives of RUSAF… should take part in international competition or in the affairs of the IAAF," IAAF President Sebastian Coe said at a press conference.
According to Rune Andersen, an independent chairman of the IAAF Taskforce, a number of Russian coaches and athletes do not follow anti-doping rules and anti-doping bodies' operating condition face resistance in the country.
Athletes who will be able to prove that they do not use doping, will be able to apply for participation in international competitions, but not under the flag of the Russian Federation, the International Association of Athletics Federations said.
"The IAAF Council also passed today a rule amendment (the third recommendation) to the effect that if there are any individual athletes who can clearly and convincingly show that they are not tainted by the Russian system because they have been outside the country, and subject to other, effective anti-doping systems, including effective drug-testing, then they should be able to apply for permission to compete in International Competitions, not for Russia but as a neutral athlete," Rune Andersen, the independent chairman of the IAAF Taskforce which is monitoring the verification process, said as quoted by an IAAF press release.
In December 2014, German ARD channel released a film titled "The Doping Secret: How Russia Creates Champions" on alleged doping abuse and corruption in Russian sports. The film was followed up by documentaries with further allegations.
Following the release of the film, WADA launched an investigation into the allegations of doping abuse in Russian sports. In November 2015, WADA's Independent Commission issued a report accusing Russia of numerous breaches of global anti-doping regulations. The IAAF temporarily suspended the Russian Athletic Federation's membership as a result.
