The first visit to Russia by the IAAF Taskforce will take place from 10-11 January 2016.

The visit was confirmed yesterday at the first meeting between Rune Andersen, the independent chairperson of the IAAF Taskforce, and Gennady Aleshin, chairperson of the ROC Coordination Committee for the re-entrance of Russian Athletics into the IAAF family of nations.

Andersen and Aleshin, who have been respectively appointed by the IAAF and the Russian Olympic Committee to supervise the inspection and verification process, met yesterday in Brussels.

ARAF must satisfy the IAAF Taskforce that they have met and will continue to meet the Reinstatement Conditions and Verification Criteria set out by the IAAF on 11 December, in order for Russian Athletics to be recommended for IAAF membership following ARAF’s acceptance of their full suspension on 26 November.

“Yesterday’s meeting marked the formal beginning of our work to confirm Russia’s commitment to the verification process,” said Rune Andersen.

“We have established a good working relationship as the basis of our future discussions and meetings together. I look forward with my fellow members of the IAAF Taskforce to visiting Moscow in three weeks’ time.”

• This media release was published on the International Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF) internet site on 23 December 2015. To access the original, please click here.