Moscow (AFP)
The Russian Athletics Federation (Rusaf) announced Wednesday that it had paid a fine imposed by the International Federation (World Athletics) for anti-doping rule violation, after the payment of the necessary sum by the Russian Sports Ministry.
Russia initially had until July 1 to settle $ 6.31 million (€ 5.37 million at current rate) for anti-doping rule violation ($ 5 million in fine and $ 1.31 million in costs of procedure).
But in a meeting in late July, World Athletics gave Rusaf a final deadline until August 15, after receiving a letter with settlement guarantees from Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin.
In case of failure, a procedure of exclusion of Rusaf from the International Federation had to be initiated, which would have greatly compromised the presence of Russian athletes, even under neutral banner, at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in a year.
In a statement released Wednesday, the Russian federation, however, said it had paid the fine "in full" with a subsidy from the Russian Sports Ministry.
Earlier today, the ministry came to Rusaf's rescue by announcing the payment of this grant to settle the debt with World Athletics.
"Restoring the right of Russian athletes to participate in international competitions" is one of the "priorities" of the Sports Ministry, he stressed, while advocating the establishment in Russia of a "culture of zero tolerance towards doping".
Rusaf have yet to present World Athletics with a reform plan for their reinstatement before August 31.
Russia is at the center of a vast institutionalized doping scandal between 2011 and 2015, particularly in athletics, and is under the close surveillance of the International Federation. Rusaf has been suspended since November 13, 2015.
In November 2019, World Athletics froze Russia's reintegration process, as well as that allowing handpicked Russian athletes to compete outside of Russia, with Rusaf accused of helping the vice-world champion high jump 2017, Danil Lysenko, to escape a sanction for breaches of his whereabouts obligations for unannounced doping controls.
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