World Athletics sticks to Russia ban despite legal challenge and IOC shift

Speaking on the sidelines of a Budapest championship, Sebastian Coe reiterated that World Athletics will not change its policy barring Russian and Belarusian athletes, emphasizing the need to safeguard the sport's fairness. Russia's athletics federation has taken the dispute to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, requesting both the removal of the ban and the restoration of its full rights ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The International Olympic Committee, however, announced that Russian athletes may compete in team events and qualifying competitions, a decision denounced by Ukraine as premature. While World Athletics maintains its stance, federations such as World Gymnastics and the International Skating Union have already relaxed similar sanctions. Russian Athletics executive director Boris Yaryshevsky accused Coe of stepping beyond neutral representation, though Coe acknowledged the need for a resolution. The ongoing impasse underscores differing approaches to the war-related sporting restrictions.