Russian athletes might be allowed to go to European Championships, says IAAF

Moscow: Russian field and track athletes, who filed individual applications with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), theoretically have chances of being allowed to enter the competitions of the European Championships which begins in Amsterdam on 6 July, the IAAF said in a statement on Wednesday.

Following its session in Vienna on 17 June, the IAAF decided to keep in force the suspension of the All-Russia Athletics Federation’s (ARAF) membership in the global athletics body, reports TASS.

The suspension implied that Russian field and track athletes were ineligible to take part in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil except those, who proved to be doping-clean.

The IAAF announced last week that it amended the organisation’s regulations in order to allow field and track athletes from Russia to submit individual applications for international tournaments.

4 July  was set as the deadline for the submission of individual applications with the 2016 Summer Olympics scheduled to be held in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro between 5 and 21 August.

Although the date of  4 July was set as the deadline for the submission of individual applications by Russian athletes, the IAAF Doping Review Board will hold a teleconference meeting in the end of the week to discuss the eligibility of applied field and trackers.

“It’s a meeting via teleconference,” the statement from the IAAF said.

“They (board members) don’t want to have delays because the European Championships is next week. Of course if needed they will have another meeting via teleconference next week just after the deadline and before the European Championships.”

The 2016 European Athletics Championships will be held in Amsterdam between 6 and 10 July.

ARAF Secretary General Mikhail Butov also said that Russian field and track athletes theoretically have chances of going to Amsterdam for the European Championships.

“IAAF will review the possibility of Russian athletes taking part in the European Championships in Amsterdam by the end of the week,” Butov said.

“Those wishing to go there can file an application with IAAF. In other words, as IAAF explained us, there is a theoretical possibility that Russian athletes may enter competitions in Amsterdam.”.