The Council of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) at a meeting in Vienna decided not to renew the membership of the All-Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF), reports Sky News with reference to sources. This means that Russian athletes will not be able to take part in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The decision was taken by a vote in which 26 council members participated. ARAF General Secretary Mikhail Butov refused to vote.
It is expected that the decision on the participation of the Russian national team in other sports at the 2016 Olympics will be made by the International Olympic Committee on June 21.
On June 15, the World Anti-Doping Agency WADA released a report on new violations. From February 15 to May 29, 2016, WADA specialists were unable to carry out 736 tests planned in Russia, while meldonium was found in 49 doping tests of Russian athletes. According to the agency, Russian athletes prevent doping tests, FSB officers influence WADA representatives. The agency is also hindered by the Russian customs, whose employees are opening the tubes. Often, the customs office allegedly delays the time of transporting the tubes, as a result of which the collected blood tests become invalid.
The All-Russian Athletics Federation has confirmed that the IAAF Council has upheld the disqualification of the Russian Federation. ARAF Secretary General Mikhail Butov told TASS about it. “The dismissal of ARAF is an expected decision, it could be assumed. We will react, ”Mutko commented on the situation.
In early June, the German TV channel ARD accused the head of the Russian Ministry of Sports Vitaly Mutko of helping athletes to hide positive doping tests. The film “The Secret Doping Case: X-Hour for Russia” by German journalist Hayo Zeppelt aired on 8 June. The charges were based on the text of a letter from the former head of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory, Grigory Rodchenkov.
Rodchenkov claims that Russian athletes who tested positive for doping bribed the IAAF in the amount of $ 500,000 at the London Olympics. “A lot of money was spent to hide the positive results. Certain people were busy swapping positive samples. I know this from the London Olympics. Then it cost up to $ 500,000 to “free” a doping athlete – for one person. The athlete gave money to the coach. And in Russia there is a person who then transferred money to the IAAF. This is the sale of doping test results, “R-sport quotes Rodchenkov as saying.
The Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will be held from 5 to 21 August.
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