IAAF Council Votes to Maintain Russian Suspension from International Events

By Adam Kopet

The IAAF will maintain the suspension of the Russian Athletics Federation after this weekend's IAAF Council meeting.

Russia has now been banned from international competition for two years following revelations that Russian officials operated a state-sponsored doping program.

Among the criteria remaining for Russian officials to meet is accepting the McLaren Report findings. Thus far, Russian authorities have continued to deny the findings.

The continuation of the Russian ban will likely keep the Russian Athletics Federation from taking part in the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships. The next IAAF Council meeting is scheduled to take place after the World Indoor Championships.

Individual Russian athletes have been cleared to compete internationally, however, they must do so as a neutral athlete.

In other doping news, Morocco has been removed from an anti-doping watch list. Morocco will still be monitored, but steps have been made to improve its anti-doping program. Belarus, Ethiopia, Kenya and Ukraine remain on the watch list