Russia Unlikely to Avoid Proceedings With IWF Over Weightlifting Issue

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The situation with possible disqualification of Russian weightlifters from the upcoming Summer Olympics in Brazil cannot be resolved without proceedings with the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said.

On June 22, the IWF decided to withdraw two quotas from Russia at the upcoming Summer Olympics in Brazil over multiple anti-doping violations revealed in the combined re-analysis process of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. In addition, Russia, along with Kazakhstan and Belarus, is facing a one-year suspension from participation in international weightlifting events.

"If this [IWF] decision takes effect, I hope our federation will react and file a lawsuit starting from Monday… To my mind, we will not avoid proceedings," Mutko told R-Sport.

On June 17, the IAAF officially announced the decision to uphold RUSAF ban for association's membership, which means that Russian athletes cannot participate in international competitions under IAAF aegis. On June 18, the IOC Executive Board said it supported the anti-doping position of the IAAF.