Leading RusAF officials charged with anti-doping violations

Monaco, November 22: The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has suspended several leading Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) officials for their conduct during an investigation into high-jumper Danil Lysenko.

Russian athletes have been prohibited from representing their country since November 2015 following allegations of state-sponsored doping, which have been regularly denied.

Lysenko, a high jump silver medallist from the 2017 World Athletics Championships, was authorised by World Athletics to compete as a neutral athlete following the suspension of RusAF.

In June 2018, Lysenko was notified of a third "whereabouts" failure, with a notice of charge issued against him and a provisional suspension imposed in August 2018.

The AIU investigated the explanations provided by Lysenko, concluding the explanations were false and supported by forged documents.

A subsequent 15-month inquiry into RusAF's conduct has led to senior officials, including the organisation's president Dmitry Shlyakhtin, being charged with serious breaches of anti-doping rules, including a failure to co-operate with an investigation and obstructing an investigation.

In total, seven individuals associated with RusAF – Shlyakhtin, executive director Alexander Parkin, board member Artur Karamyan, senior administrator Elena Orlova, anti-doping coordinator Elena Ikonnikova, Lysenko and his coach Evgeniy Zagorulko – have been charged for anti-doping rule violations of tampering and/or complicity.

All seven have been handed suspensions with immediate effect.

RusAF has until December 12 to respond to the notice, and the AIU board may refer the matter to the World Athletics Council.