MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. Russia’s three-time World Champion in women’s high jump Maria Lasitskene said on Tuesday she still hoped to take part in international track and field athletics tournaments this year.

"We had a schedule on the international tournaments from the very beginning, we have been organizing training sessions in line with this schedule, we have been making preparations in line with this schedule and have never deviated from this schedule," Lasitskene told journalists during a news conference.

"I give my utmost during the every training session, I never give myself a chance of relaxing and I keep finding strength," the high jumper stated. "It’s natural that chances are small every time you come to ponder about the whole situation, therefore it’s better not to think about it and to stay mum carrying on with training sessions."

The international federation, World Athletics, suspended RusAF’s (the All-Russia Athletics Federation) membership in November 2015, following a wave of anti-doping rules violations and formed a special mission on the issue.

World Athletics, however, allowed clean athletes from Russia to participate in international tournaments under the neutral status or the Authorized Neutral Athlete (ANA) until the membership of the RusAF is reinstated. The ANA status prohibits Russian athletes from participating in all international track and field tournaments under the national flag.

World Athletics, confirmed to TASS on August 12 that it received in full a financial sum to cover the debt owed by the All-Russia Athletics Federation to the global organization.

The Russian Sports Ministry stated on August 12 that it decided to allocate a one-time subsidy for the All-Russia Athletics Federation for the development of the national track and field athletics and to help the federation to repay its debt to World Athletics. RusAF President Yevgeny Yurchenko told TASS later on Wednesday that the federation repaid its outstanding debt of $6.31 million to World Athletics.

In March 2020, the World Athletics Council ruled to fine RusAF $5 million for an alleged involvement of the previous executive administration’s attempt to forge official documents of high jumper Danil Lysenko. The dateline to pay the fine was set for July 1, 2020. The Russian athletics federation failed to meet the set deadline.

During its session on July 30, the World Athletics Council resolved to strip RusAF of its membership in the governing body of track and field athletics in case RusAF "does not make the outstanding payments of a $5 million fine and $1.31 million in [additional] costs before 15 August.".