All-Russian Federation of Athletics returned to international status

After a long period of 7 years, 4 months and 9 days, the All-Russian Athletics Federation (VFLA) restored its membership in the International Association of Athletics Federations (World Athletics). The Russian organization was suspended from participation in international competitions as a result of a doping scandal in 2015. According to TASS, the World Athletics Council decided to renew the ARAF membership after the association fulfilled 35 special conditions necessary for restoration.

Previously, ARAF was overseen by a working group that was tracking the ARAF recovery plan. At the end of November last year, the head of the working group, Rune Andersen, announced that the ARAF leadership team had introduced a new culture of good governance and zero tolerance for doping in the organization. In this regard, he expressed confidence that by March a final decision would be made on the restoration of the ARAF.

Although the ARAF has regained its membership in the international federation, Russian athletes cannot yet compete under the auspices of World Athletics. In March 2022, the Council of the organization decided to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in the 2022 season at the World Championships, the European Championship in Munich, Germany, and the Diamond League stages due to the situation in Ukraine. However, in its last meeting, the World Athletics Council approved the creation of a working group that will work out the conditions necessary to lift restrictions on athletes and officials of the national federations of Russia and Belarus.