Twenty Russian athletes cleared to compete in 2022

Twenty Russian athletes will be allowed to compete as neutrals in 2022, doubling the number who were cleared to take part this year.

Representative image: Andersen warned however that any future breach of the conditions set for the return to competition would result in that quota being reduced by 25 percent.

Twenty Russian athletes will be allowed to compete as neutrals in 2022, doubling the number who were cleared to take part this year, World Athletics announced on Wednesday.

Track and field's governing body acknowledged earlier this week that Russia had made "steady progress" in meeting the requirements to return to international competition but not yet enough to lift the ban imposed in 2015 for systematic state doping.

"Based on the progress being made and conformity with the reinstatement plan, the taskforce recommended an increase in the ANA (Authorised Neutral Athletes) quota for major competition for 2022 to 20 athletes," Rune Andersen, the head of the taskforce charged with monitoring the ban, said after a meeting of World Athletics' Council.

Andersen warned however that any future breach of the conditions set for the return to competition would result in that quota being reduced by 25 percent.

Just 10 Russian ANAs were permitted to compete this year.