Russia On Brink Of Doping Suspension

Russia faces suspension from world athletics today as the sport's governing body meets to consider what sanctions to impose for the widespread doping and corruption exposed this week.

Sebastian Coe, president of the IAAF, will chair an emergency meeting of its governing council via conference call from London, and will ask members to support a provisional suspension against the Russian Federation.

The motion may not receive unanimous support from the 26-member council but Coe is expected to receive the majority required, triggering a disciplinary process that could ultimately see Russian athletes banned from the Rio Olympics next summer.

The meeting follows the publication on Monday of a damning report by a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) independent commission into what amounts to state-sponsored doping in Russia.

The report found evidence of athletes being forced to take drugs, asked to pay to cover up tests, and the destruction of more than 1,400 samples by the director of Moscow’s WADA-accredited laboratory, and recommended Russia be suspended for 2016.

Coe is under enormous pressure to act decisively, with the sport’s reputation and his own credibility as a reforming new president under intense scrutiny.

Sky News understands he will press for the maximum penalty he can impose in the short-term - a provisional suspension - ahead of full disciplinary proceedings that could be held next month.

He received support from Dutch council member Sylvia Barlag, who told Sky News the IAAF needs to send "a strong message".

"These have been shocking findings so the message must be strong: that we cannot tolerate this, whether it’s Russia or any other federation," she said.

"I think this has to be done, so whatever that message will be or what the consequences will be, I think that message has to be very strong. Especially because it’s systemic."

Russian officials from President Vladimir Putin down have struck a conciliatory tone in the past 48 hours as they try to head off the prospect of an Olympic ban.

Mr Putin says he has launched an investigation, and the head of the athletics federation has acknowledged that it has doping issues.

But sports minister Vitaly Mutko said punishment should be restricted to individuals rather than the whole nation.

"It will be painful for those athletes with clean consciences who could compete, that’s the first thing. And the second thing is that it goes against the spirit of the WADA code," he said.

Sky News understands that the Russian sports ministry has also begun lobbying contacts within the International Olympic Committee and other bodies to try to reduce the risk of a full ban.

Russia has become the biggest spender and most acquisitive host of international sporting events following a period in which the UK was dominant.

As well as the 2013 World Athletics Championships and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, it hosted the World Swimming Championships in the summer, and will host the 2018 World Cup.

In a response sent to the IAAF the All Russia Athletics Federation blamed offences on its previous leadership.

"In our report for the IAAF, we agreed with some of Wada's positions," Vadim Zelichenok, acting president, told Russian news agency TASS.

"However, we explained that all these irregularities happened under the old leadership of the Russian athletics federation and took place some time ago."