IAAF Paves Way for Russian Whistleblower to Compete at Rio Olympics

(ATR) Yulia Stepanova is cleared to compete at the Rio Olympics as a "neutral athlete".

The IAAF announced Friday that its doping review board had "unanimously accepted" the Russian middle distance runner’s application to compete in international competition. It’s the track and field body’s first case of an athlete seeking "exceptional eligibility" following the IAAF’s ban on Russian athletics over state-sponsored doping.

Stepanova, 29, and her husband Vitaly were key figures in the expose of widespread doping in Russian athletics after providing evidence about a state-backed cover-up to the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Explaining the ruling, the doping review board said the 800-meter runner was "someone having made a truly exceptional contribution to the protection and promotion of clean athletes, fair play and the integrity and authenticity of the sport".

"Ms Stepanova is now eligible to compete in international competitions as an independent neutral athlete," the IAAF said.

The IAAF said Stepanova's participation as a neutral athlete in international competition "is still subject to acceptance by the organiser of the competition in question".

But European Athletics president Svein Arne Hansen tells Around the Rings she is welcome to participate in the July 6-10 European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam.

"We accept of course the participation of Stepanova in Amsterdam and I hope that more Russian athletes can be cleared by IAAF to take part in our championship next week," he told ATR on Friday.

As of July 1, the IAAF said it had received more than 80 applications from Russian athletes seeking exceptional eligibility to compete in an individual capacity. They must meet a range of IAAF criteria, including having been trained and drug tested outside Russia’s corruption anti-doping system. They will be subject to extra drug tests and "individual evaluation" .

The IAAF reiterated today that Russian athletes seeking exemptions will only be cleared "on the basis that they are not tainted by RUSAF's failure to put in place adequate anti-doping systems because they have been subject to other, fully adequate systems outside of the country for a sufficiently long period to provide a substantial assurance of integrity". A decision on all applications is due by July 18.

European Athletics Statement

In a release Friday, European Athletics said it received notification only today from the IAAF about Stepanova’s eligibility for European champs.

"Along with IAAF, European Athletics recognises Stepanova’s exceptional contribution to the protection and promotion of clean athletes, fair play and the integrity and authenticity of the sport," it said.

"If Stepanova takes her place in Amsterdam, she will compete under the European Athletics flag."She would then compete in the first round of the women’s 800m on Wednesday evening at the Olympic Stadium.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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