Russia makes last-ditch plea to IAAF ahead of Rio Olympics ruling
By Reuters
Last Updated: 17/06/16 7:33pm
Russia has made a last-ditch plea to IAAF president Sebastian Coe to lift its ban in time for the country's athletes to compete at the Rio Olympics.
The IAAF Council is meeting in Vienna on Friday to vote on whether to readmit Russia, who were first banned in November after a report by the World Anti-Doping Agency revealed state-sponsored doping and corruption in Russian athletics.
Coe is due to give a press conference at 5pm to confirm the IAAF's decision, but Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has written to Coe and the Council, saying: "I would like to once again assure you that Russia fully supports fighting doping.
"Russia is doing everything possible to ensure our athletes are a part of clean and fair Olympic Games. In light of our efforts, I urge you to reconsider the ban on our athletes.
"Russia has done everything that the IAAF independent commission has rightly asked of us in order to be reinstated to athletic competition."
The IAAF extended the ban on the All-Russian Athletic Federation (ARAF) in March, with Coe stressing that it would only be lifted if there was clear evidence of a "verifiable change both in anti-doping practice and culture".
WADA's latest damning report, released on Wednesday, cast doubt over Russia's compliance, saying hundreds of attempts to carry out drug tests on Russian athletes this year had been thwarted, with drug testers facing intimidation and threats from armed Russian security forces.
