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Russian Athletics Escapes Expulsion
(ATR) The World Athletics Council takes expulsion off the table after the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) admits wrongdoing and apologizes for covering up doping violations by a top Russian athlete.
The Council, which in late January had threatened to kick RusAF out if it continued denying the charges and refusing to express contrition for them, announced on Thursday that it was imposing a $10 million fine for breaching the sport’s anti-doping rules.
In addition, World Athletics is re-instating the Authorized Neutral Athlete (ANA) process for Russian athletes to compete at international competitions but not under the Russian flag. Only a maximum of 10 Russian athletes will be allowed to compete at Tokyo 2020 and other specified World Athletics and European Athletics senior events as neutrals.
Rune Andersen, who chairs the World Athletics taskforce on Russia, said at a press briefing on Thursday it was hoped that limiting the number to 10 "might trigger change" in the culture of athletics in Russia.
The ANA process will be suspended if $5 million of the $10 million fine is not paid by July 1, 2020.
The remaining $5 million of the fine will be suspended for two years, to be paid immediately if during that period RusAF commits a further breach of the Anti-Doping Rules or fails to make meaningful progress towards satisfying the reinstatement conditions set by Council.
The World Athletics Council also approved a new set of criteria for RusAF’s reinstatement, including:
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Indonesia Ponders 2032 Bid Change
(ATR) Indonesia’s bid to host the 2032 Olympics could be centered on a city that isn’t built yet.
Plans were unveiled in August to create a new capital on the island of Borneo to replace Jakarta. The new city, which is expected to cost $34 billion, would be built on higher ground to limit flood risk and be designed for up to seven million people.
According to Reuters, the government is evaluating how to make the unnamed new capital its candidate city for the 2032 Olympics, replacing Jakarta.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo is in early talks with SoftBank chief executive Masayoshi Son and other investors to garner support for an Olympic project, Reuters reports.
Indonesia submitted its formal 2032 bid letter to IOC President Thomas Bach in February 2019.
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