No quick return for Russia, says Coe
While the IOC prevaricates about the “dilemma” of banning Russian athletes from the 2024 Olympics, World Athletics boss Sebastian Coe has made it clear that as far as his sport is concerned they remain very much on the outside, twice-over.
IOC chief Thomas Bach said last week that a lengthy Executive Board debate resulted in the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine remaining in place but that there were discussions about potentially allowing some individuals to take part as neutral athletes.
The Russian Athletics Federation has been banned from the sport since 2015 as a result of the country’s widespread doping and state-sponsored cover-up, though a number of athletes have been allowed to compete as neutrals if they can show a “clean record” that also disassociates them from the tainted system.
The IOC's "sanctions" include the ban on any of their anthems, flags or national symbols and they will remain but they have now opened the door for the potential lifting of the blanket ban on athletes competing, which they term "protective measures".
“Our position on Russian participation has been very clear from the outset,” Coe told reporters in an end of year address this week. “All athletes, personnel and the whole entourage are excluded from World Athletics series of events for the foreseeable future because of the Ukraine situation.
“The IOC made very clear that the sanctions remain but for us it's a slightly more complicated and nuanced landscape because of course we have the two streams of work running alongside each other.
"The IOC pretty much made it clear that it is for the Federations to evaluate the situation for their own sports and we will continue to protect the integrity of our sport.”
Last month WA’s Russia Task Force reported, not for the first time, that it had seen some evidence of “cultural change” and the sport’s Council will meet in March to yet again discuss whether enough steps along the “road map” have been taken to even consider a return in time for the 2024 Olympics, should the IOC ban be lifted.
“We now feel very much more comfortable about the nature of testing processes (in Russia),” Coe said. “Any decision will be taken in March but I don’t think it’s going to have a particularly big impact on the status of Russian and Belarus athletes, but particularly Russian athletes at this moment.”
On a more positive note, Coe said he feels his sport has emerged from Covid in good shape, citing almost 4,000 athletes from 180 countries competing in four world series events during 2022, when 261 national records were set.
He also said it was the first time for many years that Usain Bolt did not top the list of "most visible athletes" in terms of media coverage, despite the Jamaican sprinter retiring in 2017.
India's Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra topped the list ahead of a trio of Jamaican female sprinters - Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, with Bolt coming in at an unaccustomed fifth place.
Bolt, the sport's global superstar from 2008 until his retirement, has kept a relatively low-profile on the athletics front in the last five years, though Coe recognises he is very much in demand on a number of fronts.
"Any time Usain can give to the sport is hugely important and the more we can get the better, but his dance card is pretty full - he is busy," he said.
相关文章
How much will PCB's Champions Cup mentors be paid?
ListentoarticleThe Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed five distinguished mentors for the upc2024-09-23绿美广东,“羽”农同行! 省、市农业农村系统“温氏·绿美杯”羽毛球赛开打
绿美广东,“羽”农同行! 省、市农业农村系统“温氏·绿美杯”羽毛球赛开打_南方+_南方plus“这一记扣杀真漂亮!”“网前接球要更稳一些!”“尽量把球往对方后场吊!”绿美广东山色秀,秋冬意浓宜运动。12024-09-23- 雅安日报讯为让石棉县古树名木更好地助推石棉县经济、生态、文化、旅游发展与环保建设,今年5月石棉县在2012年基础上再次对全县范围内古树名木进行全面普查、鉴定。古树名木是林木资源中的瑰宝,是自然界的璀璨2024-09-23
- □彭华2013年9月5日,距“4·20”芦山强烈地震灾后恢复重建全面启动仅过去46天,42岁的芦山县龙门乡王家村簸箕组村民杨茂军经过精心测算,流转土地40亩,投资400万元,建设一个集度假、休闲、生态2024-09-23
Washington Mystics vs. Chicago Sky 2024 livestream: Watch live WNBA
TL;DR:Watch Washington Mystics vs. Chicago Sky in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts an2024-09-23- 雅安素有“水电王国”之称誉,全市共有大小电站近740座。汛期,开闸泄洪是确保电站及下游人身财产安全的一项重要举措。那么电站在泄洪前需做哪些预警措施,迎接主汛期他们又做了哪些防汛工作。近日,记者走进荥经2024-09-23
最新评论