IAAF bars Russian track-and-field athletes from Olympic Games in Rio

Two-time Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva and Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko urged to dissolve the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which on Sunday refused to admit Russian track-and-field athletes to the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.  

According to Isinbayeva, the final decision is to be made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. Minister Mutko said that Russia would take a civil action, should the court support the IAAF's decision not to admit the Russian track-and-field team to the Olympics.  

On Sunday, July 10, the IAAF barred all Russian track-and-field athletes, except for long jumper Darya Klishina, to the Olympic Games in Rio. Two-time Olympic champion, pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, is among those who are not allowed to perform at the 2016 Olympics.

In an interview with Tass Isinbayeva said: "What they (sports officials) have put out confirms their weakness and helplessness. For them, there is no presumption of innocence. They can not prove who is honest in Russia, and who is not. I would dissolve the federation and change its administration again, because it is not effective and it ruins world athletic sports. Everybody understands that if the Russians are not allowed to the Games, only a half of the viewers of the Olympics will be watching the broadcasts, and this is bad for sponsors."

Russian Sports Minister Mutko also suggested the IAAF should be disbanded. "This is an  organization, in which the former president is under investigation, and the vice-president, and the people who were running the doping policy - they all kept their jobs. Now the IAAF still judges and educates us, trying to teach us something. This is all a shame," Mutko said. 

"People have dedicated many years of their lives to sport. The IAAF was making money on them, selling commercial rights, and now they behave like that. Shame. This is not a sports organization  ... One should put an end to this mess. All the requirements have been met, and the All-Russian Athletics Federation has spent huge money on testing the athletes," he added. 

Pravda.Ru