Russia loses appeal over IAAF ban
One News reports:
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has tonight rejected the appeal by 68 Russian track and field athletes seeking to overturn the ban imposed by the IAAF following allegations of state-sponsored doping and cover-ups.
The ruling could influence whether the entire Russian Olympic team is banned from the games.
IAAF President Sebastian Coe says he is “thankful that our rules and our power to uphold our rules and the anti-doping code have been supported.
“This is not a day for triumphant statements. I didn’t come into this sport to stop athletes from competing. It is our federation’s instinctive desire to include, not exclude.”
A sad day for the (probably few) clean Russian athletes. But they can still compete if shown to be clean – just not under Russian colours.
Only a team exclusion from the games will give the incentive for Russia to cease the state sponsored doping programme.