This AFP photo taken on September 23, 2009 in Moscow shows a technician of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory. The head of Russia's anti-doping laboratory resigned late on November 10, hours after his laboratory was suspended over accusations it was part of state-sponsored doping programme that experts fear could snowball into an international crisis for the sport.
November 12, 2015
Russia provisionally suspended by IAAF
PARIS, France (AFP) — Athletics giant Russia was provisionally suspended from track and field on Friday over accusations of “state-sponsored” doping as the IAAF scrambled to salvage the sport’s credibility just nine months out from the Rio Olympics.
“Today we have been dealing with the failure of ARAF (All-Russia Athletic Federation) and made the decision to provisionally suspend them, the toughest sanction we can apply at this time,” IAAF president Sebastian Coe said.
“But we discussed and agreed that the whole system has failed the athletes, not just in Russia, but around the world.
“This has been a shameful wake-up call and we are clear that cheating at any level will not be tolerated.”
