Russia to pay doping fine to World Athletics

Russia’s sports ministry said Wednesday it would help its athletics federation pay a doping fine that is a key condition to removing the threat of expulsion by the sport’s global governing body.

The Russian athletics federation has been suspended since 2015, and its athletes were barred from the 2016 Rio Olympics.

World Athletics said last month it would go further by expelling Russia unless it made an outstanding payment of $6.3 million in fines and costs for anti-doping breaches by August 15.

“The Russian sports ministry has made an unprecedented decision to grant the All-Russia Athletic Federation a one-time subsidy to develop the sport, including to pay off a debt to World Athletics,” the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

An expulsion would mean Russian athletes are sidelined from international competitions including the Tokyo Olympics next year.

The $6.3 million is the remaining part of a $10 million fine that the Russian federation only partially paid off by July 1.

As well as paying the fine, World Athletics has demanded RUSAF set out a detailed plan for its reinstatement by August 31, including commitments for anti-doping and governance reforms.

The ministry added in its statement: “The Russian sports ministry will continue to render support and assistance in the implementation of a plan to enforce a zero-tolerance attitude towards doping and reinstating of the RUSAF membership in World Athletics.”