Russia loses appeal against Olympics ban over doping

Russia's track and field athletes were banned in November amid doping claims. Credit: Reuters

  • ITV News report by Sports Reporter Ian Payne

Russia has lost its appeal against the decision to ban its athletics team from the Rio Olympics next month.

The country was banned from international track and field events by the IAAF, world athletics' governing body, last November.

It followed a damning report by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) showing widespread, state-sponsored doping.

Russia's Olympic committee and 68 individual athletes lodged an appeal against the suspension, implemented by world athletics' governing body, to sport's highest court.

But the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected the appeal.

The International Olympic Committee is considering whether to ban all Russian competitors from the games after a separate report into state-sponsored doping.

  • Russian reaction

The reaction to the verdict in Russia has been one of anger and dismay.

Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko has said he regrets the decision to reject the appeal, Interfax news agency reported.

He is quoted as saying "unfortunately, a certain precedent has been established for collective responsibility," for alleged doping violations by individual athletes.

Mr Mutko also said Russian officials will consider what steps to take in the light of the court's decision.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it "deeply regrets" the decision to reject the appeal, adding that it is "unacceptable" to apply principle of collective responsibility to Russian athletes.

The head of the Russian Athletics Federation said the body had done everything it could to ensure its athletes competed at the Rio games, R-sport reports.

Double Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva, who was one of the 68 individual Russian athletes who launched the appeal, described the decision as the "funeral of athletics".

  • World of athletics reacts

IAAF President Lord Coe said it was 'not a day for triumphant statements' Credit: Reuters

IAAF President Lord Coe said he was thankful "our rules and our power to uphold our rules and the anti doping code have been supported".

Lord Coe also said the IAAF will that beyond Rio the body's taskforce "will continue to work with Russia to establish a clean safe environment for its athletes so that its federation and team can return to international recognition and competition."

Six-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt also reacted.

Speaking at a news conference, ahead of the London Anniversary Games, Bolt said doping violations are "really bad" at the moment and "rules are rules".

Olympic and world heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill told ITV News that a "drastic measure" was needed to tackle the "corruption" that has been going on.

However, she said she felt for innocent Russian athletes uninvolved in doping.

Craig Reedie, president of WADA, has said that CAS has "probably taken the right decision" to reject the appeals against the ban.

He said that WADA's report showed a "pretty dreadful alliance between the Russian ministry and the Moscow laboratory", but that "substantial progress" had been made on anti-doping.

He added that the organisation was working with Russia's anti-doping organisation to ensure they become compliant with anti-doping rules, but says that it may take some time.

  • What now for Russian athletes?

Russia has denied the allegations of widespread doping. Credit: Reuters

The CAS decision specifically addresses the IAAF rule change that banned the Russian federation.

But allowed individual athletes, who could prove they had spotless anti-doping records verified by credible agencies, could be given special eligibility to compete internationally.

Two US-based Russian athletes - Darya Klishina and Yuliya Stepanova - have chosen this route to competition.

The International Olympic Committee are still considering whether to ban all Russian athletes from Rio 2016 with a decision not expected until at least Friday.