IAAF could expel Russia for failing to act on doping

Russian athletes in a past Olympic race.  [Photo: Courtesy]

Russia’s athletics federation (Rusaf) faces expulsion from international athletics should  it fail to comply with IAAF requirements.

An exclusive report published by the New York Times indicates that the International Association of Athletics Federation has accused Russia for undermining the anti-doping requirements, which have so far taken two years. The IAAF is now contemplating to go for an axe by July, 2018, when a meeting will be scheduled to discuss Russia and how it has handled doping.

After accusations of  the state-sponsored doping for a period running from 2008 to 2015,  IAAF trained its gunsights on Russia.

IAAF has, however, given a leeway  to Russian athletes to participate in the Olympics as neutrals, a situation that the athletics body could reverse.

Addressing the media in Birmingham, England on Tuesday March 6, the IAAF President Sebastian Coe lamented Russia's unresponsiveness to calls to stump out the doping menace.

“There is no ambiguity about the criteria, and the criteria was agreed. We want the country and their athletes back, but we want the world to be in a position to trust.”

Top on the list of the requirements that the Russians should have done was that the federation ought to have acknowledged that the 7-year doping act was a deliberate to corrupt sport.

They were also required to highlight the athletes suspected or verified to be using performance enhancing drugs. All these conditions are reported to have bee brushed aside by the Russian officials. Russian officials are yet to comment on the development.