The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) yesterday said that the number of doping cases in Russian athletics is a ‘major concern’, and the number of cases in Russian race-walking is a specific concern. As a result of the sanctions against the five race-walkers, reported here yesterday, ‘a total of 23 elite Russian athletes have now been sanctioned under the IAAF ABP [Athlete Biological Passport] programme which was launched in 2009’, said the IAAF. This compares to 37 athletes that have been sanctioned under the ABP globally since 2009.

The IAAF and WADA are investigating allegations of systematic doping, made in a German TV documentary. Last week, WADA published its terms of reference for the investigation, which will deliver a report into the allegations by 31 December this year, at the latest. In a media statement, the IAAF clarified that major international titles will be redistributed as a result of the sanctioning of the five Russian race walkers, but not until the IAAF has received the reasoned decision from the Russian athletics federation (VFLA).

The sanctions were criticised by Australian race-walker Jared Tallent, as they allow Sergey Kirdyapkin (pictured) to defend his London 2012 50km gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics. “It’s like they’ve just cherry-picked certain periods of time”, he told Reuters. “I can’t understand how…he gets to keep his Olympic gold and then he’s given a three-year, two month ban so he can return for Rio”.