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Doping scandal in Russian sports

All-Russia Athletics Federation to assist RUSADA in probe against ex-coach Chegin

It was reported earlier that Chegin continued working with track and field athletes despite his lifetime suspension

© AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau

MOSCOW, January 28. /TASS/. The All-Russia Athletics Federation (RusAF) will provide its maximum assistance to the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) with an investigation into possible violations of suspension terms on behalf of the former Russian race walk coach Viktor Chegin, RusAF Acting President Yulia Tarasenko told TASS on Tuesday.

RUSADA Deputy Director General Margarita Pakhnotskaya announced earlier that the agency had information that Chegin continued working with track and field athletes despite his suspension. Robert Popov, an anti-doping coordinator with RusAF, said later that the national track and field athletics federation would launch a probe based on the information from RUSADA.

Read also

Russia’s top race-walking coach Chegin suspended over doping announces end of career

"RusAF will imply maximum effort assisting RUSADA in this investigation," Tarasenko stated. "After receiving this information from RUSADA, the federation launched its own probe."

"Inspections are underway, we have received explanations from coaches at the training camp in Sochi and they reject reports of Chegin’s presence there," she continued.

"In the event that it is proven that there was a banned cooperation of members of national teams (specialists, coaches, athletes), the federation reserves the right to resort to disciplinary measures against them as well as the Athletics Federation of [the Russian Republic of] Mordovia," she added.

Over 20 Russian track and field athletes, coached by Chegin, were subjected to various suspensions between 2005 and 2015 for violations of anti-doping rules, while Chegin was slapped with a lifetime ban.

Read also

Russia’s top race-walking coach Chegin receives life ban

World Athletics, which was previously known as the International Association of Athletics Federations or IAAF, suspended RusAF’s (the All-Russia Athletics Federation) membership in late 2015 following a chain of doping abuse scandals in Russia’s track and field sports. Only one Russian track and field athlete was allowed to participate in 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil and she was Russia’s long jumper Daria Klishina.

The World Athletics Council announced on November 22, 2019 its decision to suspend RusAF’s reinstatement process based on charges brought by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

The suspension of Russia’s governing athletics body has been ruled to remain in force 12 times since its introduction in 2015 with the most recent decision made on September 23, before the start of the 2019 World Championships in Qatar’s Doha on September 27-October 6.

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Doping scandal in Russian sports

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