MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) upheld the suspension of ARAF’s membership on Friday, virtually banning Russian athletes from the 2016 Rio Olympics. Russia vowed to file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
"It's not just about me, but about the suspension of all Russian representatives to all bodies of athletic organizations. This also applies to judges, and it unfortunately concerns the members of committees, commissions and councils – both continental and international. We, just like athletes, have exactly the same suspensions," ARAF Secretary General Mikhail Butov told R-Sport.
In 2015, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) presented a report, accusing Russia of numerous breaches of global anti-doping regulations and recommended the country be banned from international athletics competitions, which then led to the ARAF suspension from IAAF.
