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IAAF draws up criteria for ending Russia's world athletics suspension
The All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF) must “sever ties” with individuals connected with doping and resolve pending disciplinary cases before it will be reinstated for international competition.
The nation was suspended from participating in athletics events following the publication of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (Wada) landmark report last month, which alleged several instances of doping in Russian athletics.
Following the report, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has drafted Reinstatement Conditions, which must be backed up by verification criteria, before Russian athletes can compete again.
ARAF must comply with the requirements of Wada and the IAAF Anti-Doping Rules, as well as introduce a “comprehensive code of ethics” and “reasonable term limits for all its officials”. None of its directors, officers or staff are allowed to have had any previous involvement with doping.
All disciplinary cases against athletes and support personnel must be resolved within three months, while cases involving international-level athletes will be prosecuted by the IAAF before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Wada will determine how the cases involving national-level athletes will be resolved.
Furthermore, ARAF is expected to conduct thorough investigations following a process agreed with the IAAF Taskforce, into any further potential doping cases. All athletes who have been provided drugs, as well as those who have represented Russia at senior level in the past four years, have to be interviewed.
Until the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) has been declared compliant again, the IAAF will organise drug-testing for top-tier Russian athletes. Any athlete who wishes to compete in international competition will have to demonstrate at least three no-notice out-of-competition tests in the six months prior to the event.
ARAF will gather together a committee of qualified representatives to implement the verification criteria. The body must meet regularly together and with the IAAF Taskforce, beginning in January 2016.
IAAF president Sebastian Coe said the announcement “leaves no room for doubt”.
“Russia must demonstrate verifiable changes across a range of criteria and satisfy our taskforce that those criteria will be met permanently,” he added. “There is no timeline for Russia to implement verifiable change both in anti-doping practice and culture.”
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