Kazakhstan has been added to the World Athletics Competition Manipulation Watch List ©Getty Images

The Kazakhstan Athletics Federation (KAF) has been placed on World Athletics' Competition Manipulation Watch List, following investigation of suspicious competition results by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

Already under supervision are Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkey and Uzbekistan.

They were placed on the newly-created list in September.

When nations are considered suspicious it is because of the risk of results manipulation within the territory of said country and not down to individual officials or specific cases.

The World Athletics Competition Department will work with the KAF to improve and reform their competition procedures, with its position on the list being under review by the World Athletics Council until proven worthy of being taken off it.

Albania are one of six countries already on World Athletics Competition Manipulation Watch List ©Getty Images
Albania are one of six countries already on World Athletics Competition Manipulation Watch List ©Getty Images

Last year, the Council approved the introduction of the Competition Manipulation Watch List, in response to an AIU investigation that found 17 reports of suspicious competition results during qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Any nation on this list cannot have national competitions recognised by World Athletics, with only international or continental competitions and World Athletics' affiliated events such as the Diamond League and World Race Walking Tour able to be recognised.

National Championships can be recognised if certain conditions are fulfilled and subject to World Athletics approval.