Rio: IAAF turns down 67 Russian applications

The IAAF’s Doping Review Board has turned down applications from 67 Russian athletes to compete internationally at the Rio Olympics as “neutral” individuals, following a blanket ban on the country’s track and field athletes for systematic doping.

The All-Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) said in a statement on Sunday it was informed by the sport’s world governing IAAF that only one application had been approved, from long jumper Darya Klishina, out of 68 requests made.

“The rest of the 67 athletes who have been approved by the ARAF’s board as they have fulfilled the federation’s criteria to compete in the Olympics have been refused,” ARAF said on its website (www.rusathletics.com).

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) suspended Russia’s track and field athletes last year after a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report uncovered systematic state-sponsored doping in the country.

The ban was extended last month, which ruled Russia’s athletes out of next month’s Rio Olympics, although ARAF has appealed against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.. CAS is due to rule on the case by July 21.