SPORTS
Russian athletics authorities confirm extended suspension from IAAF
Baku, June 18, AZERTAC
The All-Russia Athletics Federation confirmed on Friday earlier media reports that the Council of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) decided at its session earlier in the day to keep in force Russian membership’s suspension, according to TASS.
"I can confirm that the suspension remains in force and will refrain from all other commentaries," ARAF Secretary General Mikhail Butov told TASS.
ARAF Secretary General Mikhail Butov told TASS earlier in the day: "I can confirm that the suspension remains in force and will refrain from comment."
Butov, who is also a Russian member of the IAAF Council, was reported earlier in the day to have left the session in the middle of discussions.
In light of numerous doping scandals, which hit the Russian sports in recent years, the IAAF temporarily suspended late last year the membership of the All-Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) in the organization.
The suspension means that Russian field and track athletes are currently ineligible to take part in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil. The IAAF’s Council gathered in Austria’s Vienna on Friday to make a decision on the restoration of ARAF’s membership.