RUSSIA TASKFORCE REPORT TO COUNCIL MEETING OF 10 MARCH 2022
In the current circumstances it is with some ambivalence I provide the following updateto Council on behalf of the Russia Taskforce:
1.

Since the Taskforce’s last update to Council on 1 December 2021, RusAF has
continued to work to meet the milestones and KPIs set out in the Reinstatement
Plan approved by Council in March 2021.

2.

However, the February 24 Russian invasion of Ukraine has cast a shadow over thewhole of Russia including sport. The Taskforce is appalled by the invasion andnotes the decision of the Council on 1 March 2022 to keep the Authorised Neutral
Athlete (ANA) process in place but withdraw – for non-doping related reasons –permission for ANAs from Russia to compete in World Athletics Series events held
for the foreseeable future.

3.

In light of the above, the Taskforce has carefully considered its options andwhether it is, in the current circumstances, appropriate and reasonable tocontinue its oversight and monitoring of RusAF regarding the reinstatement
process, and whether it will in future be able to effectively continue that work.

4.

Subject to a number of important considerations, the view of the Taskforce is thatit should continue with that work. In summary, the Taskforce does not want tolose the progress and advances that have been achieved to date, risk having to restart the reinstatement process afresh, lose the international experts and theirinvaluable knowledge and expertise, and risk ‘process fatigue’ leading to poor
decisions about reinstatement of RusAF at some point in the future.

5.

The mandate of the Taskforce is to take all such steps as it deems necessary todetermine whether the Reinstatement Conditions have been met and canreasonably be expected to be met moving forward. The role is one of monitoring,oversight, guidance, reporting to Council and, where necessary, making
recommendations to Council on what course of action to take regarding the ANAs
and the reinstatement of RusAF, which are separate to any Council decisions
regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

6.

Over the past six years, the Taskforce has been monitoring RusAF’s progress inseeking to meet the Reinstatement Conditions, cultivate and ingrain a culture ofzero tolerance for doping in Russian athletics, and become a trusted ally of WorldAthletics in the fight for clean sport. Those are long-term objectives, and theprogress made up to this point has been difficult and characterised by several
significant set-backs and failures of leadership within RusAF. Had World Athletics,
the Taskforce and the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) not been vigilant inmonitoring developments in Russian athletics, significant cases of doping andcover-up would not have been detected and dealt with promptly.

7.

The Taskforce is concerned that without its oversight and direction, and without
the work of the international experts, there is a significant risk that some or all ofthat progress may be lost creating a set of circumstances where reversion to pastpractices is a very real risk. Such a loss and backsliding would undermine thecultural change that RusAF has been cultivating, and ultimately be detrimental tothe interests of clean Russian athletes, the athletes in other countries with whomthey compete, and, therefore the integrity of future international competitions. In
addition, without the continued work of the Taskforce, when the Council is1

presented in the future with a recommendation to resolve to reinstate RusAF it
will not have the assurances it needs to make a fully informed decision.
8.

The invasion has led to a number of circumstances, including restricted travel,
which will make it difficult for the Taskforce to operate in the same way as itpreviously has. However, the Taskforce is currently prepared to continue with its
tasks of overseeing, monitoring and reporting on the implementation of theagreed plan to reform RusAF and the sport of athletics in Russia. It will work
closely with the international experts to ensure they are able to effectivelycontinue their tasks. The Taskforce is mindful of the impact caused by the Russian
invasion and that the situation is evolving. The Taskforce will, on an on-goingbasis, check and monitor if any shift in focus or approach, or any change of pace isrequired, or if there are any other implications on the Taskforce’s mandate andwork.

9.

Moving on to the substantive update on the recent work of the Taskforce:
9.1.

Currently, RusAF is working to meet the milestones and KPIs set out in theReinstatement Plan that Council approved in March 2021. The Taskforce
continues to be in regular communication with RusAF Acting President
Irina Privalova and her colleagues to assess that work, and we also receive
weekly reports from the international experts. Each month RusAF has
provided a formal written report on the progress made against theReinstatement Plan, and the international experts have provided their
feedback on those reports. The Taskforce has also convened periodic callswith the international experts to discuss those reports and to address anyissues as they arise.

9.2.

RusAF has made significant progress in many areas described in theroadmap but certain challenges remain. RusAF has provided full access tothe international experts and engages on a day-to-day basis with them.
The RusAF leadership strongly support delivery of the requirements ofthe strategic plan and operational roadmap and, while the progress isencouraging, it is not enough to suggest that RusAF is now fit forreinstatement. In particular, it is important that RusAF practises its new
approach and processes on an ongoing basis, engages with more regional
federations to drive cultural change in those regions, continues tostrengthen its governance infrastructure, and ensures that theDisciplinary Commission becomes fully operational. None of this is aboutinternational competition; it is about governance, education, and culture.
Nonetheless, as we are now a year on from approval of the Reinstatement
Plan and KPIs it would be appropriate (as the Taskforce envisaged a yearago) to conduct a review of the Reinstatement Plan and KPIs. In themeantime, the reinstatement process continues and each month RusAF
will continue to provide a formal written report on the progress madeagainst the Reinstatement Plan.

9.3.

Concerning RUSADA, the Taskforce’s concerns remain. The Taskforce
understands there have been changes in the leadership at RUSADA which
is a positive sign but, at this stage and in the current circumstances, is no
more than that. As RUSADA’s own reinstatement process continues sodoes the AIU’s investigations work. As mentioned in the last Taskforce
Report the AIU has had difficulties in obtaining important data.
Separately, the extra testing on RusAF’s athletes by the AIU at RusAF’s2costs also continues. Service providers to the AIU in Russia are currently
working, using Russian nationals as before. Challenges relating to thecurrent situation are fluid, sample collection and their shipping routes
need to be managed as well as close monitoring of stock of materials inRussia and the capability to import new equipment. The AIU is in contact
with the new and well-respected Director General of RUSADA and theinvestigations team, having now greater confidence than under theprevious regime that effective testing in support of AIU testing
requirements will be possible if needed. The AIU is pleased to hear thatformer highly professional senior managers for the Testing Department
have also returned to RUSADA providing functionality in that department
should return to its previous reliable and qualitative levels.
9.4.

The Taskforce has a significant further concern. RusAF has not kept up
with the reinstatement condition to reimburse World Athletics on a timely
basis for all the reinstatement process costs incurred by World Athletics.
World Athletics has invoiced RusAF for the reinstatement costs incurred
by World Athletics in the third and fourth quarters of 2021. Neither
invoice has been paid and the payment due dates have passed. The
Taskforce understands that, as a matter of urgency, RusAF is making
arrangements for payment as soon as possible. If payment is not madethen as a breach of the Reinstatement Conditions the Taskforce will
recommend to the Council what action to take as a consequence of aserious breach of RusAF’s obligations under the Reinstatement Plan. The
recommended action may include a suspension of the reinstatement
process.

9.5.

The Taskforce has worked with RusAF and with the AIU to develop
detailed Post-Reinstatement Conditions that would apply after thereinstatement of RusAF. Those Post-Reinstatement Conditions will, bemonitored and enforced by the AIU. As a reminder, the PostReinstatement Conditions are designed to give Council and the member
federations of World Athletics comfort that progress towards a genuinechange in culture will continue in Russia after reinstatement of RusAF, andthat there will be no backsliding. Draft Post-Reinstatement Conditions
were sent to RusAF on 2 February 2022 for RusAF to discuss with relevant
Russian stakeholders. The draft Post-Reinstatement Conditions wereagreed to by the RusAF Presidium at its meeting on 21 February 2022,
subject to some proposed amendments that require furtherconsideration. While I suggested in my update in December 2021 that theTaskforce would present the Post-Reinstatement Conditions to Council
for its approval at this meeting, given the current circumstances and thesignificant uncertainties that the Taskforce has been first required toaddress, I will endeavour to present the Post-Reinstatement Conditions toCouncil for approval and/or discussion at its next meeting in July 2022.
However, I must stress that presenting the Post-Reinstatement Conditions
to Council in July 2022 is not a proposal to reinstate RusAF at that time.
Any consideration of reinstatement is subject to further discussion.

9.6.

Following Council’s decision on 1 December 2021 to maintain the ANA
process in 2022, the Doping Review Board and the AIU (with input fromthe Taskforce) reviewed and revised the process and criteria to ensurethat they remained fit for purpose. A number of revisions were made,including to require athletes identified on a ‘long list’ who may form part3of the quota of 20 ANAs to undergo additional testing prior to competition.
However, the Taskforce acknowledges and appreciates that, given
Council’s decision of 1 March 2022, these requirements have beensuperseded and revised testing requirements for ANAs communicated toRusAF.
10.

The Taskforce recommends that Council resolve as follows:
1. The Taskforce continues its oversight and monitoring of RusAF’s
implementation of the Reinstatement Plan and KPIs, guided to the extent
possible in current circumstances by the international experts. TheTaskforce shall report on its work to Council at its next meeting in July
2022 or, if required, earlier.
2. The Taskforce meet with RusAF to discuss progress against theReinstatement Plan based on the KPIs, to assess and, if necessary, update
the Reinstatement Plan and the KPIs, and possibly discuss and/or agree aspecific timeline for consideration of reinstatement.
3. The Taskforce review the Post-Reinstatement Conditions including theRusAF’s feedback on them and present them to the Council at its next
meeting in July 2022 for approval and/or discussion, as the Taskforce
deems appropriate at that time.

Rune Andersen, Taskforce Chair
10 March 20224