While World Athletics firm on Russia ban, Coe acknowledges need for solution

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe reaffirmed his organization's stance against excluding Russian athletes from international competition in the wake of a fresh appeal from Russian Athletics to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Coe made these remarks during the final day of the inaugural Ultimate Championship in Budapest, emphasizing that the decision is rooted in ensuring the integrity of sports competition, not politics or passports.

Despite the ongoing legal battle, Coe acknowledged the necessity of finding a resolution, stating: "And look, yes, this does need to be resolved, and I'm acutely aware of that." He declined to disclose the federation's legal strategy but emphasized that World Athletics will continue to defend its position. Coe also expressed the organization's desire for a comprehensive global participation in athletics, stating, "We want a full complement of people on a global level competing in our sport, and that has to be our overall objective."

The Court of Arbitration for Sport is anticipated to rule on Russian Athletics' challenge in the coming months. As of now, World Athletics has continued to impose sanctions on Russian and Belarusian athletes since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Some other sports organizations have opted for a neutral status approach for Russian and Belarusian athletes. Russian state news agency TASS reported that Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev indicated that affected skaters would appeal the ruling to CAS.