IAAF enjoy 'frank and open' talks with Russia

An IAAF inspection team, in Russia to verify the reforms made by the country's athletics federation, enjoyed "frank and open" talks with Russian officials on Monday.

"Discussions at today's meeting have been frank and open and we look forward to continuing them with the Interim Coordination Committee (ICC) tomorrow (Tuesday)," commission chairman Rune Andersen, a renowned anti-doping expert, was quoted by the IAAF as saying.

Local press reports said that the IAAF commission had been working behind closed doors studying documents related to federation reforms undertaken with the aim of gaining reacceptance by world track and field's governing body.

The reports also stated that the first visit of the five-person inspection team to Russia had an introductory character.

The IAAF hit Russia with an indefinite suspension in November after a bombshell report by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) independent commission that revealed Russia's anti-doping agency had "routinely" violated global testing standards.

As a result of the sanction, Russian athletes are not at the moment eligible to compete at the 2016 Olympic Games and IAAF president Sebastian Coe said that would only change if certain strict conditions were met.

On Tuesday the IAAF inspection team and Russia's Olympic Committee ICC will again hold a full day of meetings, following which a further statement is expected to be issued.
Source: AFP