Russia athletics ban unchanged, Sebastian Coe says

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said Sunday that the governing body's restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes remain unchanged, as Russia's athletics federation challenges the sanctions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

World Athletics announced in July that it was keeping in place a ban imposed in March 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russian Athletics is seeking the admission of Russian athletes with an eye on qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the restoration of its rights.

Russian Athletics has called the sanctions “selective and politicised” and said they infringe on the organisation's rights and prevent it from fully representing Russian athletes internationally.

The International Olympic Committee has said Russian athletes will be allowed to compete in team events and qualifying competitions for the Los Angeles Olympics. IOC president Kirsty Coventry said the aim was to ensure athletes could compete at the Games and not be held responsible for their government's actions.

Ukraine called the IOC decision “premature” and “unfounded” while Russia's invasion continues.

Coe said World Athletics' position “hasn't changed”. He said: “This isn't about politics or passports, it's about the integrity of competition.”

Coe said last month that he intended to attend the CAS case personally to defend World Athletics' position. Russian Athletics executive director Boris Yaryshevsky told TASS that Coe had crossed the line of political neutrality. Coe said Sunday that a solution was needed and that World Athletics wanted a full global field in the sport as its overall objective.