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Russian track team barred from Rio Olympics

IAAF President Sebastian Coe addresses the media in March regarding Russia's progress establishing a new anti-doping program. (Olivier Anrigo / EPA)

By David Wharton

The powerhouse Russian track team, engulfed in an ever-widening doping scandal, will not be allowed to compete at the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics, it was announced Friday.

The team had been suspended from international competition since last year but had enacted a series of reforms and was seeking reinstatement from the IAAF, the governing body for track worldwide.

IAAF leaders, meeting at a hotel in Vienna, voted to uphold the ban after hearing from a task force created to monitor the situation.


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It was last November that a World Anti-Doping Agency report first presented evidence of systemic cheating among athletes, coaches and team officials within the country. There were also broader allegations of government involvement.

Since then, the Russians have overhauled their track federation’s leadership, offered to conduct additional drug testing and allowed international observers into their national anti-doping agency.

Vitaly Mutko, the nation’s sports minister, had insisted that maintaining the suspension would unfairly punish athletes who have never tested positive.

But another WADA report, released earlier this week, alleged that a “significant amount” of Russian athletes had skipped or evaded drug tests over the last six months.

With the International Olympic Committee – which has final say on the Games – unlikely to contradict the IAAF ruling, Russia’s track athletes are left with only a few options.

They might challenge the decision in court. There has also been talk of the IOC allowing those athletes with clean records to compete as individuals under the Olympic flag.

If none are deemed eligible, the absence will certainly be felt on the field of play. Russia finished ninth in the medals table at the most recent world championship in Beijing last summer.