MOSCOW, May 31. /TASS/. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has accepted applications filed by three Russian athletes (Kseniya Aksyonova, Vera Rebrik and Vera Rudakova) to compete internationally as neutrals, the IAAF said in a statement.
"The IAAF Doping Review Board has agreed that the applications of three Russian athletes have met the exceptional eligibility criteria to compete in international competition as neutral athletes under competition Rule 22.1A(b) while the Russian national federation remains suspended," the statement reads.
Runner Aksyonova, 29, won gold medals in the 4 · 400 meters relay in European competitions and the silver medal in the individual 400m at the 2010 European Championships. Javelin thrower Rebrik. 28, who represented Ukraine until 2014, won gold at the 2012 European Championships. Hurdles runner Rudakova, 25, won silver at the 2015 Russian Championships.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) suspended the All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) in November 2015 following an investigation carried out by the Independent Commission chaired by Canadian lawyer Richard Pound. The investigation was based on assertions related to an alleged state-sponsored doping system in Russia, made by Vitaly Stepanov and his wife Yulia.
The IAAF has decided that until the membership of the ARAF is restored, Russian athletes could participate in tournaments as neutrals. More than ten Russian athletes, including Maria Kuchina, Sergey Shubenkov, Daniil Tsyplakov and Anzhelika Sidorova have already been cleared to compete as neutrals. At the same time, another 43 applications have been rejected.