IAAF sustains the ban on Russian athletics over doping scandal

World athletics governing body IAAF has decided not to lift a ban on Russia’s athletics federation over doping, saying on Monday it was still waiting to receive data collected from Moscow and financial compensation for its investigations.

Russia’s athletics federation (RUSAF) has been suspended since 2015 following a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report that found evidence of widespread doping in the sport, Citizen Digital reports.

The IAAF’s governing council discussed the possibility of lifting the ban at a meeting in Doha on Sunday and Monday.

But Rune Andersen, chair of the IAAF’s Russia Taskforce, said Moscow had yet to meet two conditions.

“Logistical” issues had held up financial compensation, including for the taskforce’s costs and legal costs in cases Russia had brought to the courts, he said, adding that the IAAF had also not yet received analytical data and samples from a Moscow lab, which are still being assessed by WADA.

“Those (issues) need to be resolved. As soon as we have everything we need… we will seriously reconsider and recommend to the IAAF council for reinstatement (of Russia),” Andersen said.

Russian authorities have denied their doping programme was state-sponsored but have accepted that senior officials were involved in providing banned substances to athletes, interfering with anti-doping procedures or covering up positive tests.