Council members accepted the recommendation of the Russian Taskforce charged with overseeing the return to the fold of the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF), which has been banned since November 2015 following revelations of state-wide doping.

Taskforce chair Rune Andersen said there was "guarded optimism" about the RusAF’s progress towards meeting the conditions for reinstatement to membership of World Athletics.

The ANA scheme, which allows athletes who have undergone agreed anti-doping procedures to compete as neutrals in international events, was established in 2016, allowing one Russian athlete, the US-based long jumper Darya Klishina, to compete at the Rio Olympics.

The scheme was suspended as the RusAF was hit by further corruption scandals in 2020, but the World Athletics Council approved the reinstatement of the ANA process in March this year following the approval of the RusAF Reinstatement Plan.

However, the Council agreed that for the remainder of 2021, no more than 10 Russian athletes would be granted eligibility to compete within the ANA scheme at any championship competition.

Recognised ANA athletes will be able to compete in high-profile events in 2022, headlined by the World Athletics Championships in Oregon in July and World Athletics Indoor Championships due to be held in Belgrade in March.

The World Race Walking Team Championship in Muscat in March, European Championships in Munich in August, World Half Marathon Championships in Yanghzou in November and the European Cross Country Championships in Turin in December will also be open to up to 20 ANA competitors.

The RusAF may choose which athletes will make up these 20 ANAs out of those who have applied for and been granted ANA status, but it must choose athletes in the International Registered Testing Pool in priority to any other athletes.

No changes may be made to the 20 designated ANAs, for any reason, once they have been nominated by the RusAF.

The Council has also warned that the ANA quota of 20 will be automatically reduced by 25 per cent for each separate failure to comply with the ANA requirements.

"Based on the progress of the work being conducted by RusAF, the Taskforce and the international experts, our view is one of guarded optimism," Andersen said after the Council meeting.

"RUSAF is making steady progress towards meeting the conditions set for its reinstatement. 

"The key milestones have been met as well as the key performance indicators set out in the plan."

Andersen added that there were still concerns about out-of-competition testing and coaches who have trained doped athletes still having involvement in the sport, but said the Taskforce was working on a detailed series of measures for once the RusAF is reinstated.

"These are designed to give Council and member federations comfort that progress towards a genuine change in culture will continue in Russia after reinstatement and that there will be no backsliding," he said.