Share

IAAF upholds ban: How Russian doping scandal unfolded

Monaco - The IAAF, track and field's governing body, on Saturday extended its ban on the Russian athletics federation, first put in place in November 2015.

Here are the main events in the long-running Russian doping controversy:

- December 2014 -

German broadcaster ARD airs documentary alleging systematic doping in Russian athletics. A week later, Russian athletics chief and the treasurer of world athletics body IAAF, Valentin Balakhnichev, and IAAF marketing consultant Papa Massata Diack, son of then-IAAF president Lamine Diack, step down. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) sets up an independent commission headed by its former chief, Dick Pound, to investigate the claims.

- August 2015 -

ARD airs a second documentary with new accusations aimed at Russian and Kenyan athletes based on a leaked IAAF database with details of 12,000 blood tests from 5,000 competitors which revealed "extraordinary" levels of doping.

- November 2015 -

WADA's report calls on Russia's track and field team to be banned from international competition, including from the 2016 Rio Olympics, until "state-sponsored" doping is eradicated. The IAAF suspends the Russian athletics team. WADA also suspends Russia's national anti-doping body, RUSADA, over non-compliance.

- January 2016 -

WADA's second report into doping and corruption is published. It says high-ranking IAAF officials must have known about the wide scope of doping.

- May 2016 -

Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of Moscow's anti-doping laboratory, goes public with details about an organised Russian doping campaign at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

- July 2016 -

Barely two weeks before the Rio Olympics, Canadian law professor Richard McLaren releases an explosive report for WADA outlining state-run Russian doping at Sochi Games and other major sports events. WADA calls for Russia to be banned from Rio.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) stops short of an outright ban and says individual sports federations will have to decide whether to allow Russian athletes.

- December 2016 -

Second part of McLaren report is published, alleging state-sponsored Russian doping between 2011 and 2015, with sample-tampering at the 2012 London Olympics and Sochi 2014, where Russia topped the medals table.

- December 2017 -

Vitaly Mutko, Russia's deputy prime minister, uses a speech before the draw for the 2018 World Cup in Russia to slam doping allegations as "an attempt to create an image of an axis of evil".

Following its own investigations, the IOC bans the Russian Olympic Committee from the Pyeongchang Games but says clean Russian athletes will be able to take part as neutral competitors. Mutko receives a lifetime Olympic ban.

- January 2018 -

Some 168 Russian athletes are cleared by the IOC to take part in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

- May 2018 -

Mutko loses his sports brief in a new government announced less than one month before the start of the Russia-hosted World Cup.

- September 2018 -

WADA controversially lifts its three-year ban on RUSADA, despite not having been granted access to its Moscow laboratory.

The Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) then registers an appeal by the Russian athletics federation (RUSAF) against its suspension by IAAF.

- December 2018 -

Russian sports officials announce that WADA experts will return to Moscow next week to conduct an audit of RUSADA.

IAAF extends its ban on the RUSAF, the ninth time since the initial suspension, saying certain criteria for reintegration had not been met.

- March 2019 -

Meeting in Doha, the IAAF Council votes for a 10th time to maintain the ban on Russia due to the unresolved issues of examination of data from the Moscow laboratory and outstanding costs.

- June 2019 -

Despite the Task Force hailing "positive developments" such as payment of 2.8 million euros for its work and access granted to the Moscow lab, the IAAF Council again upholds the ban on Russia.

Concerns centred on Russian coaches who had been suspended for enabling doping continuing to train athletes as well as a report that RUSAF officials fabricated documents to cover for high jumper Danil Lysenko after he failed to make himself available for out-of-competition drug testing.

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 ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 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