'Russian pole vaulter Isinbayeva's CAS appeal unlikely to help her cause'

Russian athletes Yelena Isinbayeva and Sergei Shubenkov's appeal for participation at Rio OLympics to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is unlikely to help them, All-Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) chief Dmitry Shlyakhtin said on Monday.

Russian track and field athletes were barred from competing at the ongoing Rio Olympics after the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) suspended ARAF's membership amid doping allegations, reports Tass.

Spokesman for the Swiss Federal Court in Lausanne Peter Josi earlier said that the court had received an appeal from Russian track and field athletes Isinbayeva and Shubenkov.

"The time limits of submitting and the time of examining an appeal are quite lengthy and I don't think they will be on time to perform at the Olympics. But this is my opinion," Shlyakhtin said on Sunday.

Lawyer Mikhail Prokopets earlier said that the Russian athletes' appeal was unlikely to be examined before the start of the athletics season.

Long jumper Darya Klishina who is living and training in the United States is the sole Russian track and field athlete admitted to the Rio Olympics.

The CAS unanimously turned down an appeal filed by the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and 68 Russian track and field athletes against the IAAF's decision to bar them from the Olympics.

It was also reported that the CAS's decision could be challenged at the Swiss Federal Court within 30 days.

--IANS

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