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Russia says IAAF's membership suspension decision unacceptable

Xinhua, June 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

Russian lower parliament house, or State Duma, on Tuesday protested against the decision of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to retain suspension of the membership of All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF).

"The repression against those athletes who have never been caught in an unfair game is not only an unjust decision, undermining the basis of the Olympic movement...also a direct violation of human rights," the State Duma said in a statement.

Meanwhile, it supported sanctions "in the most severe way" against athletes of any country that were confirmed of using banned drugs to improve performances in competitions.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) would later in the day decide at an emergency summit on the participation of the Russian track and field athletes in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

In regard to this, the State Duma urged for unbiased and adequate decision, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that "nobody is interested in the development of such precedents (of Russian athletes banned from Olympic Games)."

On Friday, IAAF officially announced its decision to uphold the ARAF's ban on the IAAF membership, noting "Russian athletes remain ineligible under IAAF Rules to compete in International Competitions including the European Championships and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games."

On Saturday the IOC welcomed and supported the IAAF's strong stance against doping, noting that "the eligibility of athletes in any international competition including the Olympic Games is a matter for the respective International Federation." Endit