IAAF to fight Russian doping punishments

The IAAF said Wednesday it is appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the "selective" punishments handed out by the Russian athletics federation against six athetes found guilty of doping.
An International Association of Athletics Federations statement said the cases of three Olympic walk champions, 2012 50 kilometres titleholder Sergey Kirdyapkin, 2008 20km winner Valeriy Borchin, and 2008 women's 20km victor Olga Kaniskina, 2011 50 kilometres walk world champion Sergey Bakulin, 2011 20km world silver medalist Vladimir Kanaykin and women's Olympic 3000 metres steeplechase champion Yuliya Zaripova would be taken to CAS.
"While the IAAF agrees with RUSADA that there is, in each case, sufficient evidence of an anti-doping rule violation and that there are aggravating circumstances justifying an increased sanction of more than two years, the IAAF disagrees with the selective disqualification of results applied by RUSADA as a consequence," said the IAAF statement.
In one other case, that of two-time Olympic heptathlon bronze medalist Tatyana Chernova -- also the 2011 world champion in the event -- the IAAF is yet to reach a decision.
"The decision with respect to the case of Tatyana Chernova, arising from the re-analysis of her urine sample collected at the World Championships in Berlin in 2009 and kept by the IAAF as part of its retesting strategy, is still under review," the IAAF said.
"The IAAF will make no further comments pending the CAS proceedings."
Russia has been accused of using widespread doping in sport and is under investigation by the IAAF and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
It claimed a notable scalp last month when Russian Athletics Federation chief Valentin Balakhnichev resigned bringing to an end his 24 year reign.
"I decided to resign," Balakhnichev said.
"I failed to confront in full the rise of doping problems in Russia. And I understand that as the (athletics) federation president I'm personally responsible for it. That was the reason of my decision," added the 65-year-old.
Source: AFP