Athletics Australia supports sanctions on Russia

Athletics Australia chief executive Phil Jones has backed calls for the sport’s global governing body to ban Russian athletes from the Rio Olympics and strip the country of the right to host next year’s world junior championships and the world race walking cup.

An independent commission set up by the World Anti-Doping Agency has recommended the Russian Athletics Federation be banned from the sport after widespread doping offences and systematic failures.

Any suspension would likely include next year’s Olympics in Rio.

“Bearing in mind what the report points to, it’s going to be difficult if those organisations are sanctioned, to have that cleared up in the next 10 months,” Jones told reporters on Tuesday.

“That would suggest if they were sanctioned and the Russian federation weren’t able to compete then that’s a likely outcome.”

But Jones said it would be naive to imagine that Russia was the only country to have some form of “systemic doping” in its track and field program.

“There have been suspicions about the doping regime in Russia for a period of time,” he said.

“The report also points to the fact that Russia is probably not an island in this regard.

“That’s of broad concern as well and this clearly is a major issue.

“But in relation to the (Russian) walking program it was no surprise for that community generally what has come out.”

Russia is due to host next year’s world juniors in Kazan and the world race walking cup in Cheksobary, an event multiple Olympic and world medallist Jared Tallent has already said he would be boycotting.

“Understanding the allegations made prior to the release and within this Report, we encourage the IAAF Council to consider if the Russian Athletics Federation are appropriate hosts (of the world juniors and world race walking cup),” Jones said.

“Athletics Australia advise that we will support any athlete who wishes to boycott the events unless the venue is changed.”