(ATR) Up to 10 Russians will now be able to compete as neutrals in athletics at the Tokyo Olympics.
The World Athletics Council, meeting on March 18, accepted the recommendation of its Russia Taskforce to allow authorized neutral athletes (ANAs) to start competing again in major international competitions that also include World Athletics Series events and the 2021 European U23 Championships.
"As a result of that decision, the Doping Review Board will start accepting applications for ANA status immediately," Russia Taskforce chair Rune Andersen told reporters in a virtual press conference after the Council meeting.
But even if they should meet the specified criteria to be able to compete again, their eligibility will still depend on the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) continuing to implement the reinstatement plan that Council approved on March 1.
"The president [Sebastian Coe] was clear that he wants the Taskforce to monitor that work carefully and to report back to council immediately if the expected progress is not achieved," Andersen said.
"We now add international experts on the grounds in Russia to act as our eyes and ears and to report back immediately if the plan is not being implemented as RusAF has promised."
The process for Russia, which has been suspended by World Athletics since November 2015 for state-sponsored doping, to return to the fold will not be quick.
Andersen says "getting the plan into place is just the start. It won’t mean anything unless RusaF now carefully and consistently completes all the enormous work that is required to implement the plan".
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe calls the process to approve athletes for ANA status "arduous" and declined to give a specific date as to when the Russian athletes might be able to compete.
"The decision today to move ahead, to re-implement the ANA status is a good one and we’ll try to do that as quickly and as sensibly but as carefully as we can," Coe said.
The federation later released a statement saying the ANA program "will commence in time for the2021 outdoor competition season".
Asked by Around the Rings how quickly the ANAs could lose their status should RusAF fail to keep up its end of the bargain, Andersen indicated that certain breaches could have worse consequences than others.
"There is a process in place… if the plan is not being adhered to. The Taskforce would naturally discuss internally, we will give a recommendation to the Council and of course it’s about the nature of the breach that we have to look into," he said.
The federation says the number of Russian ANAs will stay capped at 10 through the end of the year.
RusAF may choose which 10 athletes are able to compete from those who have been granted ANA status, but it must prioritize the selection of athletes who are in the International Registered Testing Pool.
The Council will review the ANA program at its final 2021 meeting to determine if it should be renewed or revised for 2022.
Written and reported by Gerard Farek
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