Seven Russian track and field athletes cleared to compete internationally as neutrals

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Tuesday gave a "green light" to seven Russian athletes, including two reigning world champions, to compete in international tournaments as neutral athletes, while the Russian Athletics Federation was still under suspension.

The seven Russian athletes have met the exceptional eligibility criteria after the three-man Doping Review Board reached a unanimous agreement, the IAAF said in a statement, adding that these athletes were still subjuct to acceptance of their entries by individual meeting organisers.

Reigning world champion men's 110m hurdler Sergey Shubenkov and women's high jumper Maria Kuchina topped the list, which also included Illia Mudrov (pole vault), Sergey Shirobokov (race walks), Daniil Tsyplakov (high jump), Olga Mullina (pole vault) and Yana Smerdova (race walks).

"There can be no time constraints on a process established to safeguard the rights and aspirations of clean athletes," said IAAF President Sebastian Coe.

In February, the IAAF announced that Anzhelika Sidorova (pole vault), Kristina Sivkova (sprints) and Aleksei Sokirskii (hammer throw) were eligible to compete internationally as neutrals, bringing the total number of Russian athletes' applications approved by IAAF to 10, while other 17 have been declined.

Russian track and field team was banned from Olympic Games in Rio last year after an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) probe exposed state-sponsored doping in Russia in November 2015.

Early this February, IAAF decided to prolong the ban on Russian track and field team to November, ruling out the possibility of featuring in World Championships in London in August as Russian athletes. Endit