Russia still banned despite 'significant progress'

Moscow, July 28: Russia remains banned from international athletics despite making "significant progress" in meeting outstanding requirements set out by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Athletics' world governing body suspended Russia in November 2015 over evidence of state-sponsored doping.

The IAAF decided against reinstating Russia just over a week before the European Championships in Berlin and the suspension will be in place until its next meeting in December at least.

"The IAAF Council unanimously adopted the resolution that RUSAF [the Russian athletics federation] not be reinstated at this time," said Rune Andersen, head of the IAAF's Russia Taskforce

Anderson said Russia still has three requirements to meet before the ban can be lifted.

Payment of costs incurred by the IAAF as a result of the case must be received and the Russian authorities have to acknowledge the findings of the McLaren and Schmid Commissions that officials from the Russian Ministry of Sport orchestrated the doping conspiracy and cover-up described in their reports.

The Russian authorities must also provide access to the data from testing of samples at the Moscow lab from 2011 to 2015, so that the IAAF and other sports concerned can determine whether the suspicious findings reported should be pursued.

IAAF president Sebastian Coe said: "There are still some gaps to be filled.

"Progress has been made in key areas, but we aren't yet at that point where every element of that [reinstatement] criteria has been met."