IAAF APPROVES 9 RUSSIAN ATHLETES TO COMPETE IN NAIROBI 2017

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – The International Association of Athletics Federation, IAAF Doping Review Board has approved the applications of nine Russian athletes to compete in the IAAF U18 World Championships Nairobi 2017 as neutral athletes.

The 9 atheletes are to compete under Competition Rule 22.1A(b) while the Russian national federation (RusAF) remains suspended, the IAAF said.

“The Doping Review Board, which is composed of Robert Hersh (chair), Sylvia Barlag and Antti Pihlakoski, has accepted the applications of the following U18 athletes”, it added.

The affected athletes are Aksana Gataullina (pole vault), Ekaterina Gorshenina (race walk, Salavat Ilkaev (race walk), Elvira Khasanova (race walk), Sergey Kozhevnikov (race walk), Polina Miller (sprints), Varvara Nasibulina (sprints), Danila Tundykov (middle distance)and Valentina Ulyanova (high jump).

According to IAAF, their participation as neutral athletes in Nairobi is still subject to formalities for eligibility under IAAF Rules being completed and subject to acceptance of their entries. In total this year 22 applications have been approved and 45 have been declined.

“I’d like to thank the members of the Doping Review Board for their continued dedication and diligence in this ongoing review process,” said IAAF President Sebastian Coe. “This process is about our desire to support the hopes and aspirations of all clean athletes – including Russian athletes of all ages – who have been failed by their national system. I am delighted these nine athletes will get a chance to compete as neutral athletes in these championships and we will ensure they have the support network they require to compete to the best of their ability.”

Since publication of updated guidelines under Rule 22.1A(b) earlier this year, the IAAF has received more than 130 applications from Russian athletes, more than 40 of which have been endorsed by their national federation RusAF.

A number of these applications remain under review by the Doping Review Board in accordance with the guidelines while stored samples continue to be re-analysed and the athletes referenced in the Independent Person’s report published last December continue to be assessed in consultation with experts.

A total of 15 Russian athletes (13 in 2017 and two in 2016) have previously been declared eligible under Rule 22.1A to compete as neutral athletes and they remain eligible to compete in international competition subject to acceptance by individual meeting organisers: