Russia drops appeal against athletics doping ban

Moscow - Russia's athletics federation has dropped its legal challenge against its ban from international competitions. 

Russia has been banned from international meetings since 2015 because of doping, though dozens of top athletes have been allowed to compete by the IAAF in a neutral status. 

In September, the Russian federation appealed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, including a claim it was unfair for the IAAF to require access to evidence of past doping cases stored at a Moscow laboratory. The data and samples are guarded by Russian law enforcement. 

Russian athletics federation president Dmitry Shlyakhtin says "we need to focus efforts on negotiations ... and not waste time and strength on legal processes."