Mariya Lasitskene, Birmingham2018 World Indoors, gold medalist high jump, photo by PhotoRun.net
High jumper Maria Lasitskene has criticised the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) for their failure to make the improvements necessary to have the country’s suspension lifted by the world governing body.
In an unusual step for any Russian athlete or official, the reigning world champion indoors and outdoors promised to “act more harshly” against the RusAF if the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) go through with their threat to completely expel the country if progress is not made.
This would mean that the likes of Lasitskene would be unable to continue competing as Authorised Neutral Athletes and would be rendered completely ineligible.
The 25-year-old criticised the likes of Alexander Parkin, the chair of a RusAF Anti-Doping Committee, who has speculated that successful performances by Russian athletes at last week’s World Indoor Championships in Birmingham were really behind the ban being extended.
“First of all, I am surprised at the reaction of our Federation,” she told R-Sport.
“When Alexander Parkin in an interview said that such statements I was nothing but bewildered, it does not matter.
“And the point about the planning of the national testing of Russians, which the IAAF asks for, appeared in the November report of the working group, it is on the IAAF website, and was sent to our Federation.”
To read entire story, please go to : https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1062403/high-jump-world-champion-lasitskene-criticised-rusaf-for-not-meeting-iaaf-compliance-criteria
RunBlogRun opines: Mariya Lasitskene is obviously proud of her country. She has spent last 18 months competing as an ANA athlete. It has to be hard competing at a World Championships, doing well and not being able to sing your country’s national anthem. That Ms. Lasitskene has spoken out in frustration of her countries’ non-compliance was a tough thing to do, and we respect Ms. Lasitskene for saying tough things about the country she loves.
