Russia's track and field federation has initiated an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a bid to reverse World Athletics' decision to maintain its ban on Russian athletes from international competitions. The global athletics body first implemented the exclusion for both Russian and Belarusian athletes in March 2022, shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and reaffirmed this stance at a council meeting held last week.
This move by World Athletics contrasts with the approach taken by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which recently relaxed its own restrictions on Russian athletes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The IOC's recommendation for other sports bodies to follow suit was hailed by the Kremlin as an "important step." However, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe stated that while options for a "conditional pathway back into international competition" were discussed, the organisation ultimately decided against it, citing the need to protect the integrity and fairness of competitions and the absence of "tangible movement towards peace negotiations."
The Russian track federation, known as Russian Athletics, has issued a statement asserting that World Athletics' decision "affects the fundamental interests of athletics in Russia and restricts Russian athletes’ right to compete, on grounds that Russian Athletics considers discriminatory." The federation added that it "continues to pursue all available legal measures to protect the interests of Russian athletes." World Athletics has, in turn, vowed to robustly defend its position before CAS.
It is important to note that Russia has not competed under its national flag at a world athletics championships since 2015, following a suspension of its track federation due to widespread doping. A subsequent programme that permitted Russian athletes to compete under a neutral flag was terminated in 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine. Although World Athletics lifted its original doping suspension in 2023, the ongoing war-related ban meant no Russian athletes participated in Olympic athletics at the 2024 Paris Games, as the qualification system falls under World Athletics' purview, despite the IOC allowing neutral athletes in other sports.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice continues to advise against all travel to Russia due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the unpredictable security situation. British nationals currently in Russia are advised to consider whether their presence is essential and to depart if it is not. The UK Government remains a staunch supporter of Ukraine and has implemented extensive sanctions against Russia, impacting various sectors including sports and culture.