Russia suspended from athletics over doping scandal

The governing body of world athletics has taken the unprecedented step of provisionally banning Russia from all international competitions – including the Olympic Games – following revelations of state-sponsored doping.

Following the publication of an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) report that alleged "state-sponsored doping", the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) held a vote on Friday night, in which council members voted 22-1 in favour of Russia being banned.

"This is a wake-up call for all of us," IAAF president Lord Coe said. "Our sport finds itself in a shameful situation.

"I am wholly focused on the changes that need to be made. I have openly conceded that we need to learn some very tough lessons. We need to look at ourselves, within our sport, and we will do that."

Russia’s IAAF council member was not allowed to participate in Friday's vote.

Before the vote was taken, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said that collective punishments were “very unfair” and that key athletes were upset at the prospect of a ban, but also said the country would do whatever was required to avoid missing next summer’s Rio Olympics.

After the vote, he said that the suspension was "temporary" and the "problem is solvable".

Mutko also told Russia Today that the IAAF, itself heavily criticised by the Wada commission amid allegations of corruption and cover ups, had hidden 155 test results since 2008, of which only 15 were related to Russia.

The IAAF’s provisional suspension will remain in place while a formal hearing takes place. If the suspension is upheld, it will result in the imposition of a number of conditions with which the Russians must comply before they are allowed back into the fold.

The IAAF said an inspection team led by Norwegian anti-doping expert Rune Anderson would be formed in the coming days. Attention is then likely to shift to whether the Russian team will be readmitted in time for the Rio 2016 Olympics.