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Russia contests IAAF refusing athletes' applications as individual competitors

Xinhua, July 10, 2016 Adjust font size:

Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) on Sunday contested the decision of the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) refusing Russian athletes' applications for individual eligibility in competitions.

Head of ROC's legal department Alexandra Brilliantova said that all applications from Russian athletes seeking exceptional eligibility to compete on individual basis were refused, except for long jumper Darya Klishina.

Brilliantova said that the Russian side would keep on arguing against the refusals, calling on all related athletes to remain calm.

"No panic, we are looking forward to the hearings and get ready for them even more actively. The refusal was well expected, and this situation has even stirred us up," Brilliantova was quoted by Tass news agency.

The All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF), whose IAAF membership was banned, said that the criteria used by IAAF to prohibit all Russian athletes is unfair.

The responsibility for violating the anti-doping rules should be put on the individual competitor, the ARAF said in a statement.

It added that the Russian side would use all legal ways to ensure Russian athletes' participation in the upcoming Rio Olympic Games.

"The Federation, together with the Sports Ministry and ROC, carries out all necessary technical and organizational work for the preparation of Russian athletic team for the Olympic Games," the statement said.

The Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko also expressed his disappointment by the IAAF's decision and commented that "it is high time to dissolve IAAF."

The minister urged to wait for the decision made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with hearings to be held on July 19, on Russian athletes' participation in international competitions.

"If we do not find justice at the CAS, we shall address a civil court," Mutko said.

Earlier in the day, the IAAF in a press release announced that Russian long jumper Darya Klishina is eligible to compete internationally as an independent neutral athlete.

It added that the IAAF Doping Review Board have now reviewed most of the 136 applications filed by Russian athletes seeking to compete as neutral contenders.

Earlier this month, the Review Board declared Russian runner, also the whistleblower on the alleged nationwide doping support program in Russia, Yulia Stepanova as a neutral athlete.

On June 17, the IAAF upheld a ban on Russia's track and field athletes for Rio de Janeiro Olympics for systematic violations of doping regulations, which Moscow considered unfair. Endit