Russian athletes handed neutral status in boost amid Olympics uncertainty

07 February 2023 , 09:10

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Six Russian athletes have been cleared by the World Athletics Doping Board (Image: Getty Images)

Six more Russian athletes have had their neutral status approved by World Athletics.

The athletes have been cleared to compete internationally under a neutral flag - but are still banned from the sport because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Russian Athletics Federation has been banished by athletics bosses since 2015 following an investigation into the country's widespread violations of anti-doping regulations.

But 73 Russians have since been permitted to compete with neutral status when found to have a clean record and not guilty of any doping offences.

The World Athletics Doping Review Board have a criteria in place which allows Russian athletes to compete with neutral status at international events. And six more athletes have now been found to have met the exceptional criteria.

Nikita Anishchenkov (high jump), Artem Chermoshanskiy (long jump), Maksim Pianzin (race walking), Nikita Kurbanov (high jump), Danil Chechela (long jump) and Marina Kovaleva (long distance) were the latest confirmed to have been given neutral status by the board on Monday.

Klitschko warns Olympics chief will be 'accomplice to war' over Russia decision

A statement read: "World Athletics has approved the applications of six Russian athletes to compete as Authorised Neutral Athletes (ANA), adding to the existing list of neutral athletes."

Long jump athlete Danil Chechela is among the latest Russian athletes cleared (Twitter)

"The World Athletics Doping Review Board found they met the eligibility criteria to participate at international events while the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) remains suspended due to historic doping offences in the country."

The athletes will still be frozen out while Ukraine are besieged by Russia, however, with the sports governing body retaining their stance that Russians and Belarusians will be banned during their nation's involvement in the war, regardless of whether they are authorised as neutrals.

The World Athletics stance means the athletes in track and field events cannot qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics - amid increasing uncertainty over whether Russians will be allowed to compete at the Games.

President Zelensky has strongly condemned Russians competing under a neutral flag in the Olympics (AFP via Getty Images)

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) have said they are "exploring a pathway" to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under a neutral flag in Paris.

But that decision has caused anger in Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelensky claiming that allowing them to compete on the global stage would be 'telling the whole world that terror is somehow acceptable.'

Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia are among the countries that have joined Ukraine in condemning the IOC's plans to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete with neutrality.

Ben Parsons