World Athletics ban Russia and make decision on transgender female athletes

23 March 2023 , 18:40

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World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe made the announcement (Image: TONY KARUMBA/AFP via Getty Images)

World Athletics have announced that Russian athletes will remain banned from featuring in track and field events "for the foreseeable future", while transgender women athletes who have gone through male puberty will be barred from competing in female events.

Athletes have been unable to compete for Russia since November 2015 after state-sponsored doping was exposed, but that suspension has now been lifted. However, Russian athletes will still be barred from competing due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

World Athletics president Lord Coe confirmed the news at a press conference, saying: "The World Athletics Council approved to continue to exclude Russian and Belarus athletes from all World Series events for the foreseeable future due to the invasion and ongoing war in Ukraine."

The invasion saw Russian and Belarusian competitors banned from featuring at last year's World Athletics Championships and World Athletics Indoor Championships.

The news comes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced in January that they planned to "explore a pathway" for athletes from both Russia and Belarus to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics under a neutral flag, declaring that "no athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport".

IOC warned Ukraine allies could boycott Paris 2024 Olympics if Russia competes

However, as a result of World Athletics' announcement it appears likely they will not be able to feature in athletics next year.

The IOC previously announced plans to "explore a pathway" for Russian athletes to compete at next year's Paris Olympics (David J Phillip/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

World Athletics also announced that transgender female athletes who have gone through male puberty would be excluded from competing in the female category. Lord Coe stated the decision was "guided by the overarching principle which is to protect the female category", but added: "We're not saying no forever."

"Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to take the view that we must maintain fairness for female athletes above all other considerations," he said.

"We will be guided in this by the science around physical performance and male advantage which will inevitably develop over the coming years. As more evidence becomes available, we will review our position, but we believe the integrity of the female category in athletics is paramount."

Matthew Cooper