Sebastian Coe, Rune Andersen, IAAF, Russia ban, Doping, London World Championships
Sebastian Coe and Rune Andersen.Reuters

Ever since the state-sponsored doping scandal broke out in Russia late 2014, the track and field athletes from the nation have been finding it tough. The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), banned the country from international events in 2015, and track and field athletes did not take part in Rio Olympics as well.

Nescafe coffee granules, salt used to tamper urine samples

Now, there is some bad news for Russia track and field athletes, who will not take part in the IAAF London World Championships, which is scheduled to take shape in August 2017 as well.  Their ban has been extended by the IAAF ruling them out of the championships. They are not expected to return before November 2017.

The IAAF taskforce has realised that the government officials are not fully acknowledging the problems in their country related to doping, which has not helped the cause for the Russia athletes. There are reports, which still suggest that there are limited testing of Russia track and field athletes at the national level too.

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"The road map that I outlined clearly states that there will be no reinstatement until the Russian Anti-Doping Agency is functioning," Guardian quoted Rune Andersen, head of IAAF taskforce on Russia, as saying.

"If everything goes in accordance to plan there will be a full reinstatement by November 2017. Which means that Russia as a nation, or RusAF [the Russian Athletics Federation], is not recommended by us to be reinstated until that time," he added.

However, it is not all dooms day for clean athletes, who are eager to make a mark in the London Championships. They can still participate in the world championship provided they are okayed by the IAAF. Around 35 athletes are keen to participate in the championships under the neutral flag.

"We have always been at pains to provide an opportunity for those Russians who can demonstrate they are from a clean system to compete, while ensuring they are not going to jeopardise the opportunity and the chances of the clean athletes competing alongside them. We have done everything we could to separate the regime from the individual athlete. We have always felt that was the proportional response," said IAAF president Sebastian Coe.