IAAF rejects applications of all Russian athletes

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has rejected applications from all Russian athletes for participation in international competitions, including the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, except for long jumper Darya Klishina, an official of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) said on Sunday.

"The refusals were received by everyone, except for Klishina," Alexandra Brilliantova, who heads the legal department at the ROC, told Tass.

"Exactly, the Russian Olympic Committee and 68 athletes in their claim to CAS will be arguing against these refusals and the reasons for that," she said. "All 68 people have filed claims, including referring to the refusals of the kind."

IAAF also rejected an application from two-time Olympic gold medallist pole vaulter Yelena Isinbaeva, her coach Evgeny Trofimov told TASS on Sunday.

"Lena has received a refusal, like all the others," he said. "Klishina must be an exception as she is trained outside Russia."

Following its session in Vienna on June 17, IAAF decided to keep in force the earlier imposed suspension of the All-Russia Athletics Federation's (ARAF) membership in the global athletics body.

The suspension implied that Russian field and track athletes were ineligible to take part in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil except those, who proved to be doping-clean.

The IAAF announced late last month that it amended the organisation's regulations in order to allow field and track athletes from Russia to submit individual applications for international tournaments.

The world's governing body of athletics, however, emphasized that Russians, admitted to competitions on an individual basis, would be unable to perform as part of the national team and would participate only under the neutral flag.

July 4 was set as the deadline for the submission of individual applications, while the 2016 Summer Olympics are scheduled to be held in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro between August 5 and 21.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne announced on Monday that it received a filed lawsuit from the ROC against IAAF in defence of the national field and track athletes wishing to participate in the 2016 Summer Games.

The hearings are due July 19, the verdict will be announced before July 21.

--IANS

pur/vt