Athletics
RUSSIA WITHDRAWS CAS APPEAL AGAINST IAAF SUSPENSION
An appeal by the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against their suspension from international competition has been withdrawn.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has suspended RusAF since November 2015 when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found evidence through an Independent Commission of state-sponsored doping and cover ups.
The Federation launched an appeal to CAS after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reinstated the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).
After this decision, Russia were warned by both the IAAF and International Paralympic Committee that they should not expect their bans from those organisations to be automatically lifted.
RusAF had argued the criteria for RUSADA’s ban to be lifted was identical to its own.
The IAAF has required RusAF to “take responsibility” for its role in the doping crisis and provide access to data from the Moscow Laboratory.
This was also required by WADA to reinstate RUSADA, but the global watchdog softened the two remaining criteria on the body’s compliance roadmap to pave the way for Russian reinstatement.
RUSADA’s compliance status was confirmed by the WADA Executive Committee earlier this week following a recommendation from their Compliance Review Committee (CRC), despite Russia missing the deadline to hand over access to data from the Moscow Laboratory.
WADA warned, however, that Russia could be banned from competing at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo and prohibited from hosting major events in any sport if the data retrieved from the Laboratory two weeks late is found to have been tampered with.
The intelligence and investigations department overseeing the authentication process will submit progress reports to the CRC every two weeks.
If evidence of manipulation is found, the CRC has claimed it will convene “immediately” to review the facts and will recommend the WADA Executive Committee declare RUSADA non-compliant.
RusAF have claimed their decision to withdraw their appeal to CAS follows RUSADA being declared complaint.
The organisation claims the criteria for their reinstatement in the IAAF has been satisfied, so assert there is no longer a need to challenge the governing body.
“I am convinced that at the moment we need to focus our efforts on negotiations with the IAAF regarding the restoration of RusAF on matters within the competence of our Federation, and not wasting time and effort on litigations,”
Dmitry Shlyakhtin, the RusAF President, told Russia’s official state news agency TASS.
RusAF cited recognition of the International Olympic Committee-commissioned Schmid Report and data from the Moscow Laboratory as the two criteria which have now been fulfilled.
IAAF chose to maintain its ban on the RusAF in December because it said Russia had still failed to accept the findings of the McLaren Report or allow investigators into the Moscow Laboratory.
While access to the Moscow Laboratory and data has now been achieved, Russia are still yet to acknowledge the McLaren report’s findings.
The McLaren report has been seen as more critical of senior figures within the Russian Government than the Schmid report.
Rune Andersen, head of the IAAF’s Taskforce on Russia, warned when the governing body extended the country’s suspension for the ninth time that acceptance of the McLaren report remained key.
“[IAAF] Council has previously agreed with the Taskforce that this condition is very important in terms of delivering assurance that reintegrating RusAF and its athletes to international competitions will not undermine the integrity of those competitions,” he wrote in his report.
“Unless the McLaren findings are acknowledged and properly addressed, how can we feel confident that there will not be further undermining of RUSADA’s activities moving forward?
“The Taskforce remains disappointed that Russia has not recognised all of the findings of the McLaren reports directly.”
Russia must also pay all of the IAAF’s costs for the investigation since they were first banned, but have previously claimed they cannot afford the fee and has asked to pay in installments.
The sum owed could potentially have increased sharply had RusAF continued their CAS appeal.
The IAAF have welcomed RusAF’s decision to withdraw their appeal.
“We are pleased that both organisations can focus their time and funds on RusAF’s reinstatement rather than preparing legal cases and arguments,” an IAAF spokesperson told insidethegames.
The next IAAF Council meeting is due take place in Doha on March 4 and 5, where RusAF’s continuing suspension will next be discussed.
Russia will not be able to compete under their own flag at the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow next month.
But Russian athletes will be allowed to compete under a neutral flag providing they meet strict criteria on anti-doping.
The IAAF granted 42 athletes neutral status for 2019 earlier this month, with all the athletes involved having held the status in 2018.
They were approved to compete again this year after meeting criteria under a newly introduced system.
RusAF had previously revealed they received applications from 133 athletes, with 98 of those having already been sent to the IAAF for consideration.
Applications are still being assessed with priority given to athletes hoping to compete in the indoor season.
The Future Olympian Athletics Classic has been rescheduled from the first quarter of 2026 to the last quarter of the year, as organisers move to transform the meet into a truly national developmental programme spanning Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
In a statement signed by Bruce Ijirigho, a former quarter-miler and Team Nigeria captain to the 1976 Summer Olympics, the postponement was described as a strategic decision aimed at broadening participation and ensuring that young talents across the country are discovered and nurtured systematically.
The competition is being organised by the Youth Sports Renaissance Foundation (YSRF), a non-profit organisation registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission by Ijirigho, Godwin Obasogie and Charlton Ehizuelen. The foundation’s primary objective is to revive athletics, particularly at the secondary school level, and rebuild Nigeria’s once-thriving grassroots sports culture.
Ijirigho, who serves as Project Lead, explained that the initiative is not about creating something entirely new but about restoring a proven system that once produced champions.
“This competition is not about reinventing the wheel,” he said. “It is about bringing back the culture that ensured that my contemporaries and I were discovered early in secondary school, received the right coaching and academic support, and went on to earn scholarships while combining sports with education. Many of us later became national, continental and global champions.”
He identified early exposure and modern, age-appropriate coaching as the missing links in youth development across Nigeria and much of Africa.
“The bane of sports in Nigeria and many African countries is that our youth don’t get opportunities early enough and lack modern coaching techniques that accelerate their development,” Ijirigho stated.
According to him, the Future Olympian Athletics Classic will go beyond competition by incorporating international coaching clinics designed to transfer contemporary skills and knowledge to Games masters and grassroots coaches nationwide.
“The Classic will not only discover talents in their early teens but also upgrade the capacity of our coaches. That way, we will nurture them properly to become Olympians and world beaters in their late teens and early twenties. This programme is strictly for high school students because it is developmental.”
The decision to expand the event to all six geopolitical zones, he noted, reflects a commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity.
“Talents abound in every nook and cranny of the country. There are middle- and long-distance runners, sprinters, quarter-milers, jumpers and hurdlers who were either not discovered at all or discovered too late. With this postponement, we can widen the tent and give every Nigerian child a fair chance.”
Ijirigho expressed confidence that with proper planning and sustained grassroots investment, Nigeria can reclaim its place at the summit of global athletics.
“We have what it takes to dominate athletics worldwide. All we need is to get our development programme right. The Future Olympian Athletics Classic will lay that foundation for our youth and for the country when it begins in the last quarter of 2026.”
With its expanded national scope and emphasis on structured youth development, the initiative signals a renewed push to reposition Nigerian athletics for long-term global success.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Kenya’s Ezra Kipchumba Kering delivered a commanding Valentine’s Day performance to win the 11th edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon on Saturday.
Kipchumba surged to the finish line at Eko Atlantic City in an impressive time of 2:11:55, clinching the $50,000 winner’s prize in one of Africa’s most prestigious road races. His decisive kick in the closing stages sealed a memorable triumph in a fiercely contested men’s elite race.
Uganda completed a strong showing on the podium, with Lomoi Samuel finishing just four seconds behind the winner in 2:11:59, while compatriot Namutala Kephar Lumbasi secured third place in 2:12:25 to underline East Africa’s dominance in the men’s event.
The Gold Label marathon, organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited under the leadership of Managing Director Mrs Yetunde Olopade, once again lived up to its billing as a premier long-distance spectacle, attracting top-tier athletes from across the continent and beyond.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Dinke Meseret Meleka claimed top honours, crossing the line in 2:37:36 after a determined run. Kenya’s Daniel Flomena Cheyech followed closely in 2:37:43, while Ethiopia’s Getaw Wgagen Zewdalem finished third in 2:38:59 to complete a tightly fought podium finish.
With another thrilling chapter added to its history, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon reaffirmed its growing stature as a leading destination for elite runners and a major highlight on Africa’s athletics calendar.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
By Kunle Solaja.
The organisers of the gold-labelled Access Bank Lagos City Marathon have described Saturday’s 11th edition as an iconic milestone that ushers in a new decade for one of Africa’s most prestigious road races.
Speaking at a press conference held at the headquarters of Access Bank in Lagos, the Managing Director of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Mrs Yetunde Olopade, said the 2026 edition represents growth, resilience and renewed ambition for the marathon.
“This 11th edition is symbolic for us. It is not just another race; it signals the beginning of another decade of excellence, impact and global recognition for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon,” Olopade said.
She expressed appreciation to Access Bank, corporate sponsors and the Lagos State Government for their unwavering support and commitment to the annual event.
“We are deeply grateful to Access Bank, our valued sponsors and the Lagos State Government for their consistency and belief in this vision. Together, we have built one of the most revered road races in Africa, and this year’s event will be nothing short of world-class,” she added.
Olopade assured runners, partners and spectators of a top-quality race that would further consolidate the marathon’s international standing and enhance its global profile.
Also speaking at the event, the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, commended the organisers for their professionalism and dedication, noting that the marathon has continued to elevate Lagos’ image globally.
“The Lagos State Government remains fully committed to supporting the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon because it continues to put Lagos on the global map in a positive light,” Fatodu said.
“This race is more than a sporting event; it is a celebration of our culture, resilience and capacity to host world-class events. We will continue to provide the enabling environment for it to thrive.”
Adding his voice, Dr Nadeem Khan, President of the International Association of Ultra Runners, described the marathon’s evolution over the years as remarkable.
“The progression I have seen at the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon is truly phenomenal. Year after year, the race keeps improving in standards, organisation and global appeal,” Khan said.
The 2026 edition is expected to attract elite athletes from across the world, further reinforcing the marathon’s reputation as one of Africa’s leading road races and a flagship sporting event for Nigeria.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- WAFCON5 days ago
BREAKING: CAF Postpones WAFCON 2026
- World Cup1 day ago
Iraq coach calls for delay to World Cup playoff amid travel shutdown
- DIPLOMACY1 day ago
Morocco Backs Gulf Security, Condemns Iranian Attacks Against Brotherly Arab States
- DIPLOMACY17 hours ago
Trump calls on Australia to give asylum to Iranian women’s soccer players
- OBITUARY6 days ago
Nigerian Sports Journalism Mourns Oyeniyi Oyeleke and Tonex Chukwu
- MLS1 week ago
Trump to Host Lionel Messi and Inter Miami at the White House
- OBITUARY16 hours ago
Breaking! Former Super Eagles Coach Adegboye Onigbinde Dies Four Days After Clocking 88
- World Cup6 days ago
‘I really don’t care’ if Iran plays in World Cup, Trump tells Politico