The Russian Taskforce will continue its work with RusAF despite the recent ban on Russian and Belarus athletes, the World Athletics Council has agreed ©Getty Images

The World Athletics Council has agreed to the request of the Russian Taskforce that it should continue to work with the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) to achieve its international re-instatement, despite the invasion of Ukraine.

Rune Andersen, chair of the Taskforce that was set up in the wake of the 2015 suspension of RusAF following the revelations of a state doping system, revealed that Council members had endorsed the recommendation despite the fact that the Council had ruled on March 1 that Russian and Belarusian athletes would be banned from its competitions "for the foreseeable future."

He had argued that not to do so would undermine the progress made so far in discussions and there would be "a significant risk" of "backsliding" that would be detrimental to clean Russian athletes.

"In the light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the World Athletics Council’s decision to exclude Russian athletes from its events, the Taskforce has carefully considered the separate question of whether it would be appropriate to continue its work with RusAF regarding the reinstatement process," Andersen told a virtual post-Council media conference.

"I reported today to Council that the view of the Taskforce was that it should continue with its mandate.

"The Taskforce is concerned that without its work and without our international experts there is a significant risk that some of or all of the progress may be lost, and backsliding may occur.

"If that were to happen the culture of change that RusAF has been cultivating would be undermined.

The World Athletics Council has endorsed the request by the Russian Taskforce chair Rune Andersen to continue its work with the Russian Athletics Federation despite the recent ban on Russian athletes in the wake of the Ukraine invasion ©Getty Images
The World Athletics Council has endorsed the request by the Russian Taskforce chair Rune Andersen to continue its work with the Russian Athletics Federation despite the recent ban on Russian athletes in the wake of the Ukraine invasion ©Getty Images

"Ultimately it would be detrimental to the interests of clean Russian athletes, the athletes they compete against and the integrity of future international competition.

"The Taskforce will therefore continue to work with the international experts to monitor and guide RusAF.

"There might be consequences of the invasion, for example travel restrictions that impact the international experts.

"In due course the Taskforce will identify whether the consequences of the Russian invasion require it to change its focus or approach.

"As for updating activities over the past four months, RusAF has continued to make good progress.

"While RusAF is not yet ready for reinstatement the Taskforce will meet with them to discuss progress and continue to draft post-reinstatement criteria that will ensure no backsliding afterwards.

"The World Athletics Council agreed that the Taskforce should continue to monitor RusAF."