DOPING: IAAF OKAYS EIGHT RUSSIANS TO COMPETE INTERNATIONALLY AS NEUTRAL ATHLETES

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – The International Association of Atheletics Federation (IAAF) Doping Review Board today okayed the applications of eight Russian athletes to compete in international competition as neutral athletes.

They are to compete under competition Rule 22.1A(b) while the Russian national federation (RusAF) remains suspended, the IAAF has said.

“The Doping Review Board, which is composed of Robert Hersh (chair), Sylvia Barlag and Antti Pihlakoski, has accepted the applications of the following athletes”, the IAAF said in a statement.
They include Ilia Ivaniuk (high jump), Sergej Litvinov (hammer), Alena Lutkovskaia (pole vault, Danil Lysenko (high jump), Sofia Palkina (hammer), Valery Pronkin (hammer), Vladislav Saraykin (race walk) and Ekaterina Sokolenko (3000m steeplechase).

According to the IAAF, the participation of all these athletes as neutral athletes in international competition is still subject to formalities for eligibility under IAAF Rules being completed and subject to acceptance of their entries by individual meeting organisers.

It said a total of 61 cases were reviewed by the Doping Review Board on this occasion. As well as the eight applications accepted, while 53 were declined.

In total this year, 47 applications have been approved, of which nine were specifically for the World U18 Championships and two were specifically for the European U20 Championships. A total of 109 applications have been declined.

IAAF President Sebastian Coe commented: “From the beginning we have declared this process was about supporting the hopes and aspirations of all clean athletes including Russian athletes who have been failed by their national system. I wish to thank the Doping Review Board for their diligent work assessing these applications.”

Since publication of updated guidelines under Rule 22.1A(b) earlier this year, the IAAF has received over 150 applications from Russian athletes, more than 50 of which have been endorsed by their national federation RusAF.