Russia to remain suspended for World Athletics Championships

Russia will miss this summer’s World Championships after athletics’ governing body voted to extend their suspension from international competition for state-sponsored doping.
However, some Russians may be able to compete under a neutral banner, if they can satisfy testing criteria.
Russia was suspended by the IAAF in November 2015, meaning athletes missed the Rio Olympics last year.
The country is now not expected to be fully reinstated until November 2017.
The decision to extend Russia’s suspension came at an IAAF Council meeting in Monaco on Monday.
The Russian anti-doping agency needs to be fully compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency before any reinstatement of the country’s athletes can take place.
The taskforce appointed by the IAAF to investigate the current system in the country has said concerns still exist about drug-testing procedures.
At the meeting, Lord Coe, the IAAF president, also said that all nationality switches by athletes would be frozen.
He said the current rules were “no longer fit for purpose” and new proposals would be written up. (BBC Sport)