Share

IAAF clears 8 more Russian athletes to compete

Monaco - The IAAF on Thursday authorised eight Russian athletes to resume competition under a neutral flag 20 months after banning the entire Russian squad over state-sponsored doping.

Hammer thrower Sergej Litvinov, fifth at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, is among athletes allowed to compete again after requesting permission from the IAAF's doping review board.

The list brings to 49 the number of Russians who have been allowed to compete as neutrals despite the official ban, which prevented Russian athletes from taking part in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.

The Russian squad is also banned from next month's World Athletics Championships in London.

The ban was imposed after an independent report in 2015 uncovered widespread state-sponsored doping in Russian sport. 

Others on the latest approved list are Sofia Palkina, 19, the women's hammer junior champion in 2015, promising pole vaulter Alena Lutkovskaia, Ilia Ivaniuk (high jump), Danil Lysenko (high jump), Valery Pronkin (hammer) Vladislav Saraykin (race walk) and Ekaterina Sokolenko (3000m steeplechase).

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
loading... Live
Pakistan 0
New Zealand 94/2
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
65% - 395 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
35% - 215 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE