Russian athletes banned from competitions due to doping
The governing body of international athletics, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has maintained the ban on Russian athletes in connection with doping violations. Some Russian athletes are still allowed to compete as neutrals.
This decision was announced 10 days before the start of the European Championships in Berlin.
"The IAAF Council unanimously adopted the resolution that the Russian Athletics Federation not be reinstated at this time," announced Rune Andersen, head of the IAAF's Russian task force team. At the same time, he pointed to the progress of Russia in “a number of important issues”.
In a separate statement released on July 27, the IAAF said that two Russian athletes have met the “eligibility criteria” to compete in 2018 in international competitions as neutral athletes.
Russia has been suspended from its membership in the IAAF since November 2015 when widespread doping and state involvement in the doping program in Russia was discovered.