WADA Call to Ban Russia From Global Athletics Against IAAF Rules

The acting president of Russia's athletics federation, Vadim Zelichenok said that further proof should be provided to support the claim of World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) that an entire federation, and not individual athletes, committed doping violations.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) recommendation that Russia be disqualifies from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) contradicts the Association's rules, the acting president of Russia's athletics federation said Monday.

Earlier in the day, WADA issued a report recommending that Russia to be suspended from all competitions organized under the IAAF banner.

"This contradicts the rules. There is an IAAF Constitution. This issue should be considered at the IAAF Council in November," All-Russia Athletics Federation's (ARAF) Vadim Zelichenok told R-Sport news agency.

Zelichenok said his organization had not been informed whether the decision to disqualify the ARAF was on the agenda of the IAAF Council’s November 26-27 autumnal session in Monaco. The acting ARAF president said further proof should be provided to support the claim that an entire federation, and not individual athletes, committed doping violations.

"We must be given the opportunity to prove our innocence," he stressed.

The Russian Anti-Doping Agency RUSADA disqualified a number of athletes last January for violating anti-doping rules.