Neutralization reaction

Russian athletes will be able to take part in international competitions under a neutral flag if they prove that they are not related to the state doping system. This is stated published by the International Association of Athletics federations (IAAF) of the procedure for submitting applications for Russians.

Russian athletes will have to send documents to the IAAF Secretary General no later than two weeks before the international competitions in which they want to take part. Each case will be considered by the anti -doping commission of the association.

IAAF introduces a number of admission criteria. Athletes will have to report the nature and duration of contacts with officials, coaches, doctors and other personnel of the All -Russian Athletics Federation, as well as the involvement of these persons in violations of anti -doping legislation. The athlete will have positive and re-testing doping tests, breaks in testing tests and unsuccessful attempts to conduct them.

In addition, the IAAF will check the number of tests from the anti -doping system of another country and the duration of the athlete outside Russia. The athlete’s biological passport will also be studied.

In the case of a positive decision, Russian athletes made for competitions will appear under a neutral flag. This rule does not apply to the Olympics. As explained in the International Olympic Committee, in Rio de Janeiro, athletes admitted to the games will represent Russia and speak under its flag.

On June 17, IAAF extended the disqualification of the All -Russian Athletics Federation. This decision means the actual ban on the participation of Russian athletes in the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The decision to extend the disqualification was made unanimously at a meeting of the IAAF Council in Vienna. General Secretary of WFLA Mikhail Butov refused to participate in the vote and left the meeting.

“Despite a certain progress, it was not possible to fulfill all the criteria, and therefore it is not possible to return the membership of the WFLA,” said IAAF President Sebastian COU at a press conference. “This is not a political decision, it was unanimously made by representatives of 26-27 countries, the politician has nothing to do with it”.

The head of the IAAF commission on the reform of VFLA Runa Andersen said that the "clean" Russian athletes could take part in competitions under the auspices of the association. "Separate athletes who were definitely not part of the Russian doping system or have passed a powerful doping test, could claim to participate in competitions, but not under the flag of Russia," he said.

On Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee supported the IAAF decision . “Each international Federation must decide on the acceptability of the speeches of these athletes on an individual basis in order to ensure equal conditions in their sport. When deciding, the absence of positive national testing for doping should not be sufficient. This means that other reliable adequate testing systems should be taken into account in addition to the National,” the IOC said.

IOC President Thomas Bach emphasized that IAAF should make a decision on the admission of athletes of Russia and Kenya individually. "Russian athletes admitted to the games will take part in them, as members of the Russian team, the Russian Olympic Committee," Bach noted. This means that they will speak under the Russian flag.