EPA Images/Kay Nietfeld
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has rejected Russia's appeal against their Olympic doping ban, meaning that Russian track and field athletes will miss out on Rio 2016.Russia were hit with the ban on November 13, 2015, when the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) decided to act on evidence of widespread, state-sponsored doping amongst Russian athletes. That evidence was uncovered by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), who confirmed their findings in a damning report earlier this week.A statement released by CAS on Thursday reads: "CAS has dismissed requests for arbitration filed by the Russian Olympic Committee and 68 claimant athletes… and considers them ineligible for the Olympic Games in Rio." Some Russian athletes may still be eligible to compete under a neutral flag, as long as they can provide clean drug samples from outside of Russia and pass a series of extra tests.The IAAF released their own statement, saying: "The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has taken a strong stance on upholding the World Anti-Doping Code without fear and favour, and is pleased that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has supported its position."Today's judgement has created a level playing field for athletes. The CAS award upholds the rights of the IAAF to use its rules for the protection of the sport, to protect clean athletes and support the credibility and integrity of competition."Seb Coe, president of the IAAF, added: "While we are thankful that our rules and our power to uphold our rules and the anti-doping code have been supported, this is not a day for triumphant statements. I didn't come into this sport to stop athletes from competing. It is our federation's instinctive desire to include, not exclude."Beyond Rio, the IAAF taskforce will continue to work with Russia to establish a clean, safe environment for its athletes so that its federation and team can return to international recognition and competition."Some Russian athletes have responded angrily to the news. The BBC reports that pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, one of the 68 athletes to appeal the ban, said that it was "a blatant political order." Speaking to the Tass news agency, she reportedly remarked: "Thank you all for this funeral for athletics."
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