Russia Suspended by IAAF: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

The Russian athletics federation has been slapped with a provisional suspension by the IAAF in the wake of allegations surrounding doping.

Richard Conway of BBC confirmed the sanction after over three hours of deliberation by the organisation. The governing body made the decision on Friday, with council members voting 22-1 in favour of a ban for the nation. 

“The message could not be stronger,” said IAAF president Lord Sebastian Coe after the announcement, per Conway. “It is entirely up to Russia to make changes.” 

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

The summit was held after an independent report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) claimed Russia had indulged in “state-supported” doping, per BBC Sport. WADA recommended a ban as a result of their alleged findings.

Needless to say, the organisation were happy with the outcome of the hearing, per Dan Roan of BBC Sport:

Ben Rumsby of the Daily Telegraph outlined some of the initial implications this decision will have on Russian athletes:

According to a statement on the IAAF website, if the Russian federation does not accept an eventual full suspension voluntarily "the IAAF is entitled to proceed to a full hearing on whether the provisional suspension should be made a full suspension."

The decision means that the nation will be unable to send athletes to major sporting events in the coming months, including the 2016 Olympics and the World Athletic Series.

It's claimed by the commission that theLondon Olympics in 2012 were "sabotaged" as a result of "inaction" towards doping suspicions, per BBC Sport.