IAAF Names Inspection Team for Russia Reforms

(ATR) Four IAAF Council members including IOC member Frank Fredericks have been appointed to the inspection team to evaluate Russia’s anti-doping reforms before its suspension is lifted.

Athletics’ governing body confirmed Tuesday that Rune Andersen, a Norwegian international anti-doping expert, would chair the panel. Prior to joining WADA in 2002, Andersen headed the Norwegian NOC’s anti-doping department.

Joining Andersen and Fredericks on the inspection team are Abby Hoffman, co-ordinator of the IAAF’s anti-doping task force since 2004, Anna Riccardi, the Italian NOC’s head of team services sport and Olympic program, and Geoff Gardner, president of the Oceania Athletics Association.

Andersen said he was "honored" to be asked by IAAF chief Sebastian Coe to head the verification process.

"I have devoted my life to clean sport and it’s on behalf of the innocent athletes who are Russia’s athletics future that we begin our task to ensure that fair and honest competition is guaranteed," he said in a statement.

Coe said the verification criteria the All-Russia Athletics Federation must meet before its ban is lifted would be set in consultation with the World Anti-Doping Agency.

He said the five-person inspection team had the vast experience necessary "to ensure ARAF meets the criteria and is eligible to once again enter athletes into international competition".

Richard Pound, chair of the WADA Independent Commission which recommended Russia’s global ban from athletics, told a BBC Radio program on Tuesday that the country had plenty to do to achieve compliance with IAAF and WADA requirements to allow its athletes ot compete at Rio 2016.

"I think if there is a will, there is certainly a way," he said of range of reforms that would need to be introduced in the three-month timeframe sports minister Vitaly Mutko has set to revamp Russia’s anti-doping system.

Pound said Russia would have to start the process for re-accreditation of their doping laboratory. He underlined the importance of recruiting a new laboratory director who would "satisfy WADA as to their professional capabilities" and show willingness to "make sure the laboratory acts independently and is not subject to any pressures".

Additionally, the Russian Anti-doping Agency would have to "make sure it operate independently of Russia and doesn’t interfere in the actions of the laboratory".

On Monday, Russian sports leaders took further action in its bid to clean up the country’s tarnished image on the global sporting stage.

Valentin Balakhnichev, former president of the All-Russia Athletics Federation, was expelled from the presidential council for the development of physical culture and sports, Russian news agency TASS reported. Vasily Titov, head of Russia’s gymnastics federation, takes his place.

The WADA executive committee and foundation board meet in Colorado Springs on Wednesday to discuss the Russian doping scandal.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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