IAAF allows another 21 Russian Athletes to compete as neutrals

To optimise for archiving, the original image and related documents associated with this article have been removed.

The International Association of Athletics Federation has approved another 21 Russian athletes to compete under a neutral status.

The approvals have been granted since WADA started analysing data from the Moscow laboratory last month. Some of the athletes are returning to competition for the first time since Russia’s team was banned in 2015 over the widespread doping scandal.

In order to gain neutral status, Russian athletes have had to prove they are clean by providing information about their drug-testing history to an IAAF panel.

There are now a total of 64 Russian athletes with neutral status for 2019, and the review process ongoing. The latest approvals however, have come a little too late for some of the athletes hoping to compete at the European Indoor Championships early March.

You may also like

View All

Pinned Article

Sport Resolutions Annual Conference 2026: Early Bird Tickets Now on Sale

Early Bird tickets for the Sport Resolutions 11th Annual Conference are now available. Join leading sport and legal professionals in London on 7 May 2026 for a full day of discussion, insight, and networking

Read More

Mediation in Sports Disputes: A Global Perspective and Future Outlook

Sport Resolutions panel member Muiris Lyons reflects on new practitioner-led research into mediation in international sport, exploring why this highly effective process - with settlement rates of around 80% - remains underused, and how earlier, more consistent adoption could strengthen sports dispute resolution alongside arbitration.

Read More

Italian biathlete suspended for doping just before Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games

24-year-old Italian biathlete, Rebecca Passler, has been provisionally suspended from competing in the mixed team relay on February 8, 2026 at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games after testing positive for letrozole

Read More