Iaaf approves the application of eight russians to compete internationally
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has approved the applications of eight Russian athletes to compete internationally as neutral athletes, without the Russian flag or anthem, under the umbrella of the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF).
This decision comes after the IAAF's Council met on November 13, 2020, to discuss the applications of the Russian athletes. The Council decided to grant the athletes permission to compete internationally, subject to certain conditions.
The eight athletes who have been approved to compete as neutral athletes are:
- Anzhelika Sidorova (pole vault)
- Sergey Shubenkov (110m hurdles)
- Maria Kuchina (high jump)
- Sergey Mozgov (high jump)
- Irina Takayeva (heptathlon)
- Yuliya Pidluzhnaya (heptathlon)
- Sergey Smirnov (decathlon)
- Viktoriya Zuyeva (400m hurdles)
These athletes will be allowed to compete at international events, including the 2021 World Athletics Championships, without the Russian flag or anthem. They will also be required to adhere to the IAAF's anti-doping rules and regulations.
The IAAF's decision to approve the applications of these Russian athletes comes after a long-standing ban on Russian athletes from competing internationally, which was imposed in 2015 due to widespread doping allegations. The ban was partially lifted in 2018, allowing Russian athletes to compete as neutral athletes, but only if they met certain conditions.
The approval of these eight athletes is seen as a significant step forward for Russian athletics, which has been plagued by doping scandals in recent years. However, the decision has also been met with criticism from some quarters, with some arguing that it sends the wrong message about the severity of doping in Russian athletics.