IAAF Upholds Russia Ban, Name Changes to World Athletics

(ATR) Fresh allegations of a doping-cover-up have led to the IAAF deciding against lifting the suspension of Russia for the 11th time.

Last week, allegations surfaced in a Sunday Times report saying Russian Athletic Federation officials were involved with covering up possible doping by world indoor high jump champion Danil Lysenko. He allegedly escaped sanctions by violating whereabouts rules last year, according to the newspaper.

The IAAF Council on Friday voted to maintain the ban on Russia from global athletics, which has been suspended since 2015 following the state-sponsored doping scandal.

It means Russian athletes may not be able to compete under their own flag at the IAAF World Championships in Doha in September, unless the athletics ruling body changes its stance at a meeting that month. Russian athletes, who have met drug-testing and eligibility criteria, can compete as ‘neutral athletes’ at Doha 2019.

At the council meeting in Monaco, IAAF taskforce chair Rune Andersen noted Russia had made progress but "key issues remain outstanding that prevent reinstatement of RusAF".

Andersen reported that RusAF had paid all expenses incurred during the fall-out from the Russian doping scandal, which totaled $3.2 million.

But the IAAF’s Athletics Integrity Unit was still waiting for the analytical data and any samples from the Moscow lab – around "several hundred gigabytes" – to be analyzed by WADA to determine which athletes have a case to answer under the federation’s anti-doping rules.

Andersen said the task force noted recent allegations that RusAF officials were involved in the attempted cover up of a doping offense and that banned coaches and a banned doctor continue to work with athletes, media reports of which have circulated in recent weeks.

"That calls into question whether RusAF is able to enforce doping bans, and whether all RusAF athletes have embraced the change to a new anti-doping culture proclaimed by RusAF, both of which are conditions for reinstatement. The AIU will be looking into this," Andersen said in a statement.

"Perhaps it will require an intervention from President Putin himself to help them get the message that things must change," Andersen said in his six-page report presented to the meeting.

He said the task force shares the IAAF Council's "frustration" that progress in two areas was "being undermined" by problems in two other areas.

"[The Task Force] hopes the outstanding issues can be resolved soon. If and when they are, it will report that back at its council meeting in Doha in September, if not before," he added.

New Look for IAAF

World Athletics is the new name for the International Association of Athletic Federations. The council approved the name at theMonaco meeting.

The makeover aims to build on the governing body’s revamp of its governance and reforms agenda following a turbulent few years in the wake of doping and corruption scandals that have tarnished the federation's image.

"The hope is that our new brand will help attract and engage a new generation of young people to athletics," said IAAF president Sebastian Coe.

"We have now created a brand that can come to life in the digital world while reflecting the changing nature of the sport. And at the same time bring into focus the athletes, the heroes of our sport."

The federation’s new CEO Jon Ridgeon said that the IAAF name had been in existence for over 100 years but was little understood and had no relevance to those outside of athletics. "The new identity creates a symbol that can stand alone and work with partners and events," he said.

The federation said the logo design, which includes the sweep of a running track, captures the energy present in all four of athletics' group disciplines: running, jumping, throwing and walking.

The IAAF name change comes into effect in October after the Doha 2019 worlds and following approval at the federation’s AGM.

Update on 2021 Worlds

Plans for the Eugene 2021 worlds were also reviewed at the IAAF Council meeting. In a change to the federation’s procedures, an evaluation will become a regular fixture two years prior to every world championships from now on.

Coe said the process was "intellectually rigorous and allows us to interrogate those issues that need interrogating at the time, and crucially allows us have more time in order to remedy some of the challenges that emerge".

He identified the purpose-built athletics stadium for the 2021 worlds as the main challenge of those championships.

"The athletes will be a lot closer to the fans and the fans to the athletes, which will create a really unique atmosphere. There are however some operational aspects that we need to be creative about," he said. "These will be a very different type of championships but that in essence is a good thing. We don't want to just become a homogenous series of events."

Coe said IAAF's rulers were pleased with Eugene 2021's progress. There were no reported issues with final preparations for this year’s world champs in Qatar.

The council also approved an out of competition drug testing model and funding framework for road races.

"This is close to my heart," Coe said. "With its extraordinary growth in recent years, the road racing industry is at risk of becoming a victim of its own success. We needed to address the potential vulnerabilities that have been identified to protect the future of this growing, vibrant industry before these pathologies overwhelmed us."

Reported by Mark Bisson

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