Following a report by the head of the Russian Taskforce, Rune Andersen, the World Athletics Council has set an independent review of progress to report in October ©Getty Images

An independent audit on the cultural changes within Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) in terms of making progress towards international reinstatement will be conducted in "mid-to-late October", the World Athletics Council has ruled.

The decision at the meeting held in Eugene before the World Athletics Championships gets underway today followed an update from the head of the Russian Taskforce, Rune Andersen, on how things stand with regard to RusAF’s suspension.

The sanction was imposed in November 2015 following revelations of state-sponsored doping and has been extended on more than 15 occasions since.

The Taskforce announced once again that it would continue its oversight and monitoring of RusAF’s implementation of the reinstatement plan, and report on the outcome of the audit at the next Council Meeting in November 2022.

Russian and Belarusian athletes are banned from the World Athletics Championships due to begin tomorrow in Eugene because of the invasion of Ukraine.

However, a recommendation from Andersen to continue working towards reinstatement was accepted by the World Athletics Council earlier this year.

An independent review of the Russian Athletics Federation's progress towards being re-instated to international competition will take place in October, the World Athletics Council has ruled ©Getty Images
An independent review of the Russian Athletics Federation's progress towards being re-instated to international competition will take place in October, the World Athletics Council has ruled ©Getty Images


In response to the latest development Irina Privalova, RusAF’s acting President, has reiterated her hope that the Federation can return to international competition by the end of this year, with the World Athletics Council next due to consider the position again in November.

“We are in full contact with World Athletics and initially knew that consideration of the issue of returning our membership to the international federation would be postponed until the audit, which is scheduled for autumn,” Privalova, the Sydney 2000 400 metres hurdles champion and current world 60m record-holder, told Russian news agency TASS.

“The Russian Federation is ready to provide auditors with all the necessary information on our implementation of the road recovery cards.

“And by the end of the year, we hope that the Federation will return to membership in the international federation following the results of the next meeting of the World Athletics Council."

In April, World Athletics confirmed that RusAF was fully up to date with all of its overdue payments for costs related to work on its reinstatement.

Prior to the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Russian athletes had been able to compete under the Authorised Neutral Athlete (ANA) banner.

A total of 73 Russian athletes had applications to compete as ANAs approved this year, but the process remains in abeyance while the crisis in Ukraine continues.