Russia's athletics federation remains suspended by IAAF

The ruling athletics body IAAF on Tuesday extended the suspension of the Russian federation RUSAF until important conditions are met in the wake of wide-ranging doping practices in the country.

The IAAF council decided at a meeting in Monaco that Russia must grant access to data and samples in its Moscow laboratory, and pay the bills for the work of an IAAF task force on the case.

The IAAF maintained its strict policy on the matter even after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in September lifted its suspension of the Russian body RUSADA, as long as Russia allowed Moscow lab access by December 31 and suspicious samples were tested by June 30.

"The task force hopes that RUSAF and the Russian authorities will now take all steps necessary to meet these conditions as soon as possible," the IAAF said in a statement.

The task force stands ready to meet as soon as these conditions have been met in order to make a recommendation to Council for the reinstatement of RUSAF."

The next council meeting is in March but IAAF president Sebastian Coe suggested it could make an earlier decision in the case of an according recommendation from the task force.

Russia's athletics federation was suspended in November 2015 by the IAAF and Russian athletes can only compete as neutrals, after proving they undergo regular doping tests outside of Russia.

RUSAF in September lodged an appeal against the ongoing suspension by the IAAF at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

A WADA delegation meanwhile visited the Moscow lab last week and hopes to receive the data by the end-of-year deadline.

"We will see how the events unfold," Coe said Tuesday.

Task force chief Rune Andersen said that a reinstatement can only be considered once its athletics' integrity unit has received the data from WADA and looked into samples for possible tampering or positive tests.

German ARD network alleged systematic doping, the cover-up of positive tests and corruption in Russian sport in December 2014 with secret recordings and witness statements to back up the allegations.

Two reports from WADA investigator Richard McLaren spoke of wide-ranging and state-sponsored doping practices in Russia, including the tampering of samples at the Russia's Sochi 2014 home Olympics.

Russia's biathlon federation was provisionally suspended in 2017, the country stripped of the 2021 world championships, while its athletes can continue to compete as Russians.

"It is very hard to speculate on the timeframe for Russia to be fully reinstated. If they do not comply with the conditions, it will take a long time to be a full member," biathlon ruling body IBU chief Olle Dahlin said two weeks ago.

The International Paralympic Committee barred all Russian athletes from the 2016 Games in Rio and 2018 winter edition in Pyeongchang while the International Olympic Committee reinstated Russia after Pyeongchang, where some 170 Russians competed as neutrals.