|
 The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) voted
overwhelmingly on Friday to suspend the Russian Athletics Federation
(ARAF) for widespread and state-sponsored doping.
"The Russian Olympic Committee is ready to take the initiative to
reform the ARAF federation and bring it in line with the
requirements of the IAAF and anti-doping legislation," committee
head Alexander Zhukov was quoted by R-Sport news agency as saying.
"This must be done efficiently and as soon as possible to ensure
that our athletes participate in the Olympic Games."
Vadim Zelichenok, the acting head of the ARAF said the IAAF ban was
harsh but that he was prepared to resign to help Russian athletics
recover from the scandal, Russian news agencies reported.
"I believe, the IAAF council made a decision which was too severe,"
Zelichenok was quoted as by R-Sport agency.
But other Russian officials said the suspension would be quickly
resolved and hinted that they might appeal against the ban at the
Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.
"It is a predictable and understandable decision," Russian Sports
Minister Vitaly Mutko told R-Sport of the IAAF decision. "We need to
understand what they want and where they see threats.
"We will develop a joint road map and try do it quickly. I think we
can do all the work in two to three months."
ARAF General Secretary Mikhail Butov told R-Sport: "If there is
something that doesn't satisfy us, then there is sense in talking
about an appeal," he added. "I am sure that Russia will go to the
Olympic Games."
Mutko and ARAF members will meet for emergency talks on Nov. 15,
Tass news agency reported.
EMERGENCY SESSION
Russia is one of the superpower is world athletics and finished
second behind the United States in the track and field medal count
at the 2012 Olympics in London.
President Vladimir Putin has used sporting successes to promote his
image of Russia as a resurgent global power, portraying its hosting
of the winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014 as a symbol of a newly
confident nation.
Following the IAAF council meeting, Russia is being stripped of
hosting the world race walking and world junior championships next
year. The first competition to be affected by the ban is the
European cross-country championships in France on Dec. 13.
[to top of second column] |
After a three-hour teleconference on Friday, hosted by its President
Sebastian Coe, the IAAF council voted 22-1 in favor of suspending
Russia.
The meeting had been called to discuss Monday's report by the
independent commission of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). It
recommended the punishment, which is unprecedented for doping
offences.
The report alleged systemic collusion between Russian athletes and
both the country's federation and anti-doping authorities and a
deeply-rooted culture of cheating that enabled athletes to take
performance-enhancing drugs without fear of being tested.
The report recommended suspending the Russian federation until a new
framework was in place.
"We will get the change we want and only then will Russian athletes
return to international competition," Coe told reporters after
Friday's call.
"But we discussed and agreed that the whole system has failed the
athletes, not just in Russia, but around the world."
Asked if Russia would be able to make the required changes in time
to return for the Olympics, Coe said: "It is entirely up to the
Russian federation. Our verification team will be tough and will
want to make sure that before there is a re-introduction to the
sport for their athletes and the federation those changes have taken
place."
The main athletics events in 2016 are the world Indoor
Championships, the European athletics championships and the
Olympics.
(Writing by Andrew Bolton; Editing by Jon Boyle)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
