MOSCOW – The provisional suspension of several Russian
athletics officials will not affect the country's participation in
next year's Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the Kremlin said on Friday.
"This situation undeniably requires attention of our sports
authorities. I am convinced the issue is being addressed," Kremlin
spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in comments carried by state news
agency TASS.
"I don't see any direct links with the Olympics participation,"
Peskov added.
On Thursday, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) provisionally
suspended seven people, including Russian Athletics Federation
(RusAF) president Dmitry Shlyakhtin, executive director Alexander
Parkin and anti-doping coordinator Elena Ikonnikova, in connection
with a whereabouts rules violations investigation around high jumper
Danil Lysenko.
The 2017 world championship silver medallist Lysenko was suspended in
August, and the AIU alleges that RusAF officials were involved in
forged documents being sent to the AIU to explain why he was not
available for tests.
This case mounts further pressure on Russia which was suspended from
the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang in connection with wide-ranging
doping practices in the country, with its athletes only able to
compete as neutrals.
Russia was last year reinstated by the World Anti-Doping Agency
(WADA) but could be declared non-compliant again over alleged
manipulation of samples WADA obtained from the Moscow anti-doping
lab.
The AIU spoke of "serious breaches" of anti-doping rules by RusAF,
"including a failure to cooperate with an investigation and
obstructing an investigation."
It said it has concluded in its 15-month probe that "RusAF officials
had been involved in the provision of false explanations and forged
documents to the AIU in order to explain whereabouts failures by the
athlete."
Shlyahtin said late Thursday he would temporarily leave his post in
the wake of the suspension.
"It is important to understand the circumstances of these
accusations, and it will be possible only after consulting
lawyers. Resignation? Let's wait for the presidium session
which will be held in the nearest future, and everything
will be sorted out there," Shlyahtin told TASS.
"Of course, I will temporarily leave the post for the time of
provisional suspension, and I will defend my name in court as well."
RusAF has until December 12 to respond and the case will then go
before the council of the ruling body World Athletics (WA).
"We have received the documents today [Thursday], at the moment the
lawyers are studying the factual background and the charges
brought against them ... An investigation is underway, its details
are confidential," RusAF spokeswoman Natalya Yukhareva told TASS.
RusAF has been suspended by WA since 2015 over doping practices. But
Russian athletes can compete as neutrals at events, if approved by
WA.