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WORLD ATHLETICS SET TO EXPEL RUSSIA!

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BY DUNCAN MACKAY

The Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) faces the very real threat of being expelled from World Athletics (formerly known as IAAF) following the publication of a report today by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) that accuses it of failing to accept responsibility for several “serious anti-doping breaches” and that it needs to change. 

It leaves Russian athletes facing the prospect of missing this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo after the AIU also recommended that the suspension of the Authorised Neutral Athlete (ANA) process is maintained until charges against RusAF are fully investigated.

It follows allegations of obstructing an investigation into whereabouts violations committed by world indoor high jump silver medallist Danil Lysenko.

The recommendations were made by the AIU Board after reviewing RusAF’s response to them being charged last November.

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These charges came about after RusAF was accused of breaching anti-doping rules relating to the involvement of RusAF officials and representatives in the submission of forged documents and false explanations to the AIU in connection with the whereabouts failures case of Lysenko.

The AIU was scathing in its criticism of how RusAF has so far dealt with the matter.

“The AIU Board finds it regrettable that, in the face of clear and compelling evidence, RusAF has chosen not to admit to the acts and omissions of the employees, directors and representatives of RusAF for which it is liable under the Anti-Doping Rules,” it said in a statement.

“In the AIU Board’s view, a responsible Member Federation in the circumstances would have admitted the charges and shown contrition for its conduct, but RusAF has chosen to do neither. 

“Instead, RusAF has gone to great lengths to deny any involvement in the matter, blame others and attack the process. 

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“This approach is deeply concerning for the AIU Board as it seems to indicate that the current leadership of the Federation is merely a continuation of the former.”

Having been suspended since November 2015 following allegations of state-sponsored doping, the AIU warned that only the severest penalty would force Russia to rehabilitate. 

Given the “fact that the previous sanctions of World Athletics have apparently failed to deter RusAF from reoffending, the World Athletics Council should consider imposing on RusAF the severest possible consequences under the World Athletics Constitution, including (without limitation) the payment of indemnity costs and a significant fine; and that it should further consider recommending to the World Athletics Congress that RusAF be expelled from membership,” the AIU said. 

RusAF filed a preliminary response on January 2 and a supplementary response on January 16 having had eight weeks in which to respond to the charges, and being granted three extensions of time by the AIU in that period.

“The AIU Board considers in the circumstances that RusAF has had ample opportunity to put forward any material or evidence that it contends answers the AIU’s case against it,” the AIU said.

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“So far, in the judgement of the AIU Board, it has not done so. 

“The AIU Board has therefore concluded that the case to answer against RusAF for multiple breaches of its obligations under the Anti-Doping Rules remains unimpaired.

“In the circumstances, the AIU Board has no hesitation in referring the matter under the Anti-Doping Rules to the World Athletics Council, so that the matter may be dealt with in accordance with the terms of the World Athletics Constitution, including if need be submission of the dispute to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).”

In the short term, Russian athletes’ biggest concern will be the recommendation from the AIU that the ANA scheme should not be restarted because of “ongoing concerns about the suitability of the current RusAF management to oversee the sport of athletics in Russia with integrity”.

Dmitry Shlyakhtin resigned as President of RusAF last November after he was one of several top Russian officials charged by the AIU in connection with obstruction of a probe into whereabouts violations committed by Lysenko.

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He has been accused of using fake medical documents in an attempt to ensure Lysenko avoided punishment and of failing to cooperate with an investigation.

The AIU concluded, following a 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.

Along with Shlyakhtin, the RusAF executive director Alexander Parkin, the athlete and his coach Yevgeniy Zagorulko had also been charged with “tampering and/or complicity” under the anti-doping rules and been provisionally suspended.

A total of seven individuals associated with RusAF were among those charged by the AIU.

RusAF Board member and President of the Moscow Regional Athletics Federation Artur Karamyan, Elena Orlova, a senior administrator, and anti-doping coordinator Elena Ikonnikova had also been suspended.

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Shlyakhtin was replaced by Yulia Tarasenko, widely seen as being an extension of the former regime. 

ANA was established by World Athletics as a category under which Russian athletes could compete at international competitions providing they could prove they had been regularly drugs-tested and had not been involved in the previous doping scandal. 

Two Russian athletes competing under the ANA banner won gold medals at last year’s World Championships in Doha and would be considered among the favourites for this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. 

They were high jumper Mariya Lasitskene and pole vaulter Anzhelika Sidorova. 

“The charges brought by the AIU against RusAF for breach of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules are extremely serious,” World Athletics said in a statement. 

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“World Athletics will be reviewing the files submitted to them by the AIU over the next couple of days.”

-insidethegmaes

 

 

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Enugu Rangers vs Bendel Insurance: A Historic President Federation Cup Clash

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The star match of the President Federation Cup Round of 16 is the potentially epic confrontation of Enugu Rangers and Bendel Insurance.

The history of the Nigerian National Cup is littered with the epic duels of the two who have three times contested the final matches in 1978, 1981 and recently in 2023.

They clash again four steps before the final match. The two teams were involved in two of the most memorable final matches of Nigeria’s Cup competition in its 80-year history, with honours shared in 1978 and 1981.

The Benin Arsenal tore apart the form books to shock the nation’s football fraternity by spanking Rangers 3-0 in the final in Lagos in 1978, but the Flying Antelopes somewhat repaid the compliment with a 2-0 win at the same venue in 1981.

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The setting for this Round of 16 clash is also in Lagos, though a different venue. But fireworks are expected by the waterfront from two teams aspiring for continental football.

Two-time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba FC, who eliminated Cup holders El-Kanemi Warriors in the Round of 32, will take on Abakaliki FC at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba.

Nasarawa United and Bayelsa United will square up to each other in the university town of Anyigba, while Warri Wolves and Wikki Tourists battle things out in the Federal Capital, Abuja.

Two great entertainers, Ikorodu City and Beyond Limits will be at each other’s jugular at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, where Solution FC will tango with Kwara United in an earlier game. Plateau United will confront Osun United in Anyigba.

 Akwa United and Inter Lagos are at loggerheads in Abuja.       

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Round of 16 fixtures (Men) on Wednesday

  • Enyimba FC (Abia) Vs Abakaliki FC (Ebonyi) – Asaba – 4pm
  • Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) Vs Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) – Anyigba 10am
  • Warri Wolves (Delta) Vs Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) – Area 3 Abuja – 1 pm
  • Ikorodu City (Lagos) Vs Beyond Limits (Ogun) – Benin City – 4 pm
  • Akwa United (Akwa Ibom) Vs Inter Lagos (Lagos) – Area 3 Abuja – 4 pm
  • Solution FC (Anambra) Vs Kwara United (Kwara) – Benin City – – 10 am
  • Plateau United (Plateau) Vs Osun United (Osun) – Anyigba – 1 pm
  • Bendel Insurance (Edo) Vs Rangers Int’l (Enugu) – MJA Lagos – 4 pm

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Key Upgrades at Mohammed V Complex for Upcoming AFCON 2025

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The Mohammed V Sports Complex in Casablanca, which underwent a significant renovation, reopened on Saturday as Wydad and Raja played to a 1-1 draw during the 26th matchday of the Botola Pro D1 “Inwi” football league.

The stadium is one of the designated venues for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations holding in December.

The redevelopment project of the iconic stadium in Morocco’s economic capital is part of the broader program to upgrade sports venues in preparation for upcoming major sporting events, notably the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Launched in March 2024 and completed in March 2025, the works included, according to the National Agency for Public Facilities (ANEP), the replacement of 45,000 seats in this temple of Moroccan football, the upgrading of the press stand, sound system, video surveillance, and access control systems.

The renovations also covered the development of four changing rooms and warm-up areas, the creation of a mixed zone and a new central players’ tunnel, the replacement of the turf with the latest-generation hybrid grass, refurbishment of the athletics track, lighting upgrades, and replacement of the advertising screens.

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Additionally, the project involved the construction of a regulation building to manage and fully separate different access flows, the development of a new ramp for team buses, VIP and VVIP parking areas, and the TV compound.

The works also included the renovation of VIP and media lounges, the construction of a new press conference room, the creation of private boxes, the upgrading of restrooms, food and beverage areas, and public infirmaries, as well as an increase in the number of gates and access control points.

Outside the stadium, the renovations focused on the refurbishment of sidewalks and green spaces, upgrading of exterior lighting, renovation of the surrounding fence, and refurbishment of the annex area.

Officially inaugurated in 1955, the Mohammed V Sports Complex has hosted the greatest sporting events and tournaments in the Kingdom. Morocco, a true land of sports and athletes, is increasingly positioning itself as a leader in the sports sector—not only in Africa but also on the global stage.

Indeed, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco is pursuing an ambitious policy of developing its sports infrastructure in preparation for hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.

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This proactive strategy aims to meet the international standards required by FIFA and CAF, while strengthening Morocco’s position as a continental, regional, and global sports hub.

In this regard, Morocco continues to invest heavily in its sports infrastructure to host large-scale international events such as the AFCON and the 2030 World Cup.

Ongoing projects include the construction of the Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane, the reconstruction of the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat, and the expansion and upgrading of the Grand Stade of Tangier in accordance with FIFA’s specifications.

The rehabilitation of the main stadiums in Fez, Marrakech, and Agadir is also underway, initially to meet CAF standards, followed by a second phase aimed at aligning with FIFA’s requirements. Studies for this second phase are already complete, with work scheduled to begin right after AFCON 2025.

Finally, ongoing efforts also include the reconstruction of the Al Barid Stadium and the Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.

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LA28 to award most Olympic medals

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The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will feature 351 medal events —22 more than at Paris 2024— the International Olympic Committee Executive Board confirmed this week in a press conference in Lausanne. 

The Executive Board has approved the event programme and athlete quotas for the LA Games, with gender equality in mind. For the first time, all team sports will have at least the same number of women’s teams as men’s teams. The LA28 programme also added 698 quotas for the five sports proposed by the LA28 Organising Committee (baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash), in addition to the core athlete quota of 10,500.

“We are opening the door for more athletes to compete, win, and live out their Olympic dream at the LA28 Games where athletes have always been, and always will be, the heart of the Games. 

“We are proud to champion an athlete-centric vision that celebrates excellence and the unifying spirit of the Olympic Movement,” LA28 Chief Athlete Officer, Janet Evans, said in the organisation’s official press release.

New medal opportunities

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In addition to the new sports set to debut at the Los Angeles Games, exciting new podium opportunities will be available for the established sports on the Olympic programme.

Coastal rowing will debut at the Games with the women’s solo, men’s solo and mixed double sculls in Beach Sprints, which will see competitors sprint across the sand, before navigating waves and surf for the top prize. 

Also making a splash are swimming’s fast-paced 50m distance swim and water polo. There will be six additional medal opportunities for the fastest swimmers in the world with the women’s and men’s 50-metre competitions in backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. The women’s water polo tournament will expand to 12 teams, matching the men’s —making it gender-equal for the first time at the Games. 

Sport climbing also gained two medal opportunities by separating a previously combined event and creating three distinct medal events: speed, boulder and lead. The sport will have a total quota of 76 athletes (38 women and 38 men).

“From the very beginning of our Olympic journey, we have always had the target of three sets of medals for our athletes. Each of our disciplines has its own unique strengths, and now everyone will see these at LA28,” IFSC President Marco Scolaris said in the federation’s press release.

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While the medal events will stay the same, basketball 3×3 will also expand to include 12 teams per gender, from eight teams at the previous Olympics. This expansion reflects the sport’s growth over recent years and further highlights the sport’s global appeal and development.

“The additional quota allows more National Federations and players from all around the world to dream that they can make it from the streets to the Olympics. Los Angeles is one of the world’s most iconic basketball cities and has a thriving 3×3 basketball culture. We are very excited to be once again at the heart of a vibrant, urban sport festival atmosphere during the Games,”said FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis, according to FIBA’s press release.

Spotlight on women’s sport

Just weeks after boxing was approved for the Olympic programme after its controversial run at the Paris Games, the sport is set to achieve full parity at the next Olympics with an additional weight class added to the women’s competition: resulting in seven weight classes for both the women’s and men’s tournaments.

Women’s football will be showcased in LA28, with a record 16 teams, while adjusting the men’s tournament to 12 teams to maintain the overall tournament size consistent with previous Olympic Games.

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“We’ve seen incredible growth in women’s participation in team sport and in popularity and visibility in women’s team sport, with football being an absolute leader in that regard,” The IOC’s Kit McConnell said. “Women’s football and men’s football have been hugely successful in the Olympic Games in terms of ticketing and broadcast audiences, and media coverage around the world. And what better place to increase the number of women’s teams than the USA itself?”

More mixed-teams

Six new mixed-gender team events will be part of the competition in Los Angeles. Compound archery will be at the Olympic Games in the form of a mixed-team event. It joins the five recurve events currently in the programme. 

Athletics will feature a mixed 4x100m, becoming the second mixed-gender event in the sport, joining the 4x400m relay. Golf, table tennis and artistic gymnastics will also add a mixed-team event at LA28.

Overall, the LA28 programme will bring together 10,500 Olympians across the 31 sports on the initial sports program, with up to 700 more athletes competing in the five new sports proposed by LA28 and added to the Olympic sports programme by the IOC.

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-Inside The Games

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