Russia accepts doping ban without appeal
November 26, 2015
Russia has accepted its full suspension from international athletics without a hearing, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said on Thursday.
The world athletics body provisionally suspended Russia two weeks ago regarding what a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report called "state-sponsored" doping.
Russia's acceptance of the ban was formalized at an IAAF council meeting in Monaco on Thursday. The Russians could have requested a hearing during the meeting, but elected to waive that right.
"They understood that the council would only accept their reinstatement as an IAAF member following the recommendation of the IAAF inspection team who will decide if the verification criteria have been fulfilled", said IAAF in a statement.
The IAAF council is also discussing possible steps for the Russian federation and its anti-doping authorities to take in order to be eligible for next year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
ap/dv (AFP, Reuters)