IAAF to discuss Russia's fate following WADA report
Last Updated: 13/11/15 4:17pm
The IAAF council will determine on Friday what sanctions to take against Russia following WADA’s report into alleged doping, cover-ups and extortion in the country.
On Monday, WADA recommended Russia be suspended from international athletics with less than a year to go until the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Former WADA president Dick Pound, who led the three-man independent panel, also said five athletes and five coaches should be handed lifetime bans, including 2012 Olympic gold and bronze-medal winners Mariya Savinova-Farnosova and Ekaterina Poistogova.
The 27 members of the IAAF council, led by president Lord Coe, will meet at 6pm via video conference, with Russia facing an initial provisional suspension from all IAAF affiliated competitions.
All-Russia Athletic Federation general secretary Mikhail Butov - an IAAF council member- will argue his country's case against a potential suspension.
A suspension will prevent all Russian athletes competing in events such as the Diamond League.
Russia are due to hold the IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships in May and the IAAF World Junior Championships in July, but a ban could throw their right to stage the events into doubt.
If Russia are handed a provisional suspension - the IAAF council does not have the authority to impose a ban on Russia attending next year's Olympics in Rio - their fate will be discussed once again at the next IAAF council meeting in Monaco on November 26 and 27.
Any permanent sanction will have to be imposed by a disciplinary panel following a formal process.
Russian sports commentator Oleg Dmitriev says the WADA report has caused great offence in his country, but claims Russia will comply with an investigation.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "The Russian reaction is simple - everybody is ready to co-operate with WADA because the statement they had seemed to be rather harsh and offensive to many members of the Russian sporting community.
"The claim that Russia should be banned from the Olympics without any proof, the proof needs to be substantiated. The country is ready to comply with all the requirements. WADA was a little too quick to announce a ban."
Meanwhile, pole vault world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva has urged the IAAF not to ban Russia from its competitions, saying in an open letter it would be "unfair" to suspend those Russian athletes not connected to the doping scandal.
She wrote: "Dear friends, all of you have known me very well and for a long time. During all my sports career I did my job honestly: I trained a lot and won World Championships and Olympic Games and set world records.
"All my victories are honest, "clean" and deserved. I have always followed and am following all the antidoping rules precisely. The situation the Russian National team is in now is very sad but I ask you not to treat all the athletes in the same negative way.
"To ban innocent and not connected to that doping scandal athletes from competing in international events and Olympic Games in Rio is not fair.
"I hope for the wisdom of the leaders of the IAAF. And I believe that the correct decision will be taken. Those who are guilty will pay their price, and those who are innocent will have the opportunity to compete and represent our country in a dignified manner at all international sports arenas."
