18 Russian athletes cleared to compete in 2018

The IAAF has cleared 18 Russian athletes, including high jump champion Mariya Lasitskene to compete as neutral athletes in 2018.

Paris 26 January, 2018 00:47 IST

FILE - In this Feb. 18, 2014 file photo, a Russian skating fan holds the country's national flag over the Olympic rings at Adler Arena Skating Center during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has received 20 more appeals from Russian athletes against Olympic doping bans, taking the total to 42. The athletes' appeals will be fast-tracked. CAS said those cases will be heard together in the week beginning Jan. 22, and it expects verdicts will be issued by Jan. 31. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) | Photo Credit: AP

Reigning world outdoor high jump champion Mariya Lasitskene is among 18 athletes from Russia to be cleared to compete so far this year as neutrals, the IAAF said today.

The sport’s governing body said that while the Russian national federation remained banned for state-sponsored doping, Lasitskene and 17 other athletes had “met the exceptional eligibility criteria to compete in international competition as neutral athletes in 2018“.

READ: Russia is making progress over doping, says IAAF chief

The IAAF said it had received 80 applications from Russian athletes to be considered neutrals, but the 18 cleared so far were given priority because they want to compete in the World Indoor Championships in the British city of Birmingham on March 1-4, and in other IAAF indoor meetings.

Russia was banned from international athletics in November 2015 over claims of state-sponsored doping, preventing its team from competing at the 2016 Rio Olympics and last year’s World Championships in London.

The IAAF maintained its suspension of Russia in November, saying the country had still not done enough to clamp down on doping.

ALSO READ: IOC bans Russia from 2018 Winter Olympics

The International Olympic Committee has also banned Russia from next month’s Winter Olympics, although an estimated 200 Russian competitors who have proved they are clean will compete as independents in Pyeongchang.