WORLD athletics’ governing body decided Friday to maintain its doping ban on all Russian athletes, Russia’s athletics federation said, leaving the country’s hopes of competing in the Rio Olympics dependent on Olympic chiefs giving a special dispensation at a meeting next week.

    The Council of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) met in Vienna, Austria, to decide whether to lift the ban after hearing from a task force that significant doping problems still existed in Russia. The suspension was first imposed in November and extended in March.

    The TASS news agency quoted a spokesperson for Russia’s athletics federation as saying the IAAF Council had decided not to lift Russia’s suspension.

    Russia’s Sports Ministry said it was extremely disappointed by the IAAF’s decision, adding the Rio Olympics would be diminished by its athletes’ absence.

    (SD-Agencies)