Russia provisionally banned over athletics doping scandal
ByReuters
Updated 14/11/2015 at 15:55 GMT
Athletics' world governing body voted overwhelmingly on Friday to provisionally suspend the Russian federation and the country's athletes from the sport following revelations of widespread, state-sponsored doping earlier this week.
Russia's team at the 2012 London Olympics
Image credit: Reuters
The International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) council voted 22-1 in favour of the sanction.
The decision came after the IAAF held a teleconference, hosted by president Sebastian Coe, to discuss the report released on Monday by the independent commission of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which recommended the punishment.
The report alleged "systemic" collusion between Russian athletes and the country's federation and anti-doping authorities and a "deeply-rooted culture of cheating" that enabled athletes to take performance-enhancing drugs without fear of being tested.
"This has been a shameful wake-up call," said IAAF president Lord Coe.
"The message could not be stronger.
"We are clear that cheating at any level will not be tolerated. The whole system has failed the athletes, not just in Russia, but around the world.
The ban includes all international competitions including the World Athletic Series and the 2016 Olympics in Brazil which open in Rio de Janeiro on August 5.
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