Seb Coe: Russia 'cataclysmically' failed its athletes

Seb Coe has accused Russia of "letting down" its athletes over the ongoing doping scandal that led many to be banned from the Olympics.

The IAAF president said Russia had led a "cataclysmic failure to oversee and protect" its athletes from widespread doping.

Speaking at a press conference, Lord Coe was responding to questions whether the IAAF had made it too difficult for Russian athletes to prove they had spotless anti-doping records.

Previously, the IAAF announced a blanket ban for the Russian athletics federation from competing at international competitions, but left the door open for individual athletes to prove their innocence.

Lord Coe said the IAAF's focus was now for the reinstatement of the Russia federation to international competitions, but that this could only happen once a "level playing field" had been established.