Dope Mess: Judgement day nears for Russia

Dmitry Shlyakhtin, a little-known regional official, landed one of the toughest jobs in sports when he was elected to head Russia’s scandal-ridden athletics federation.

Three months into the job, the 48-year-old bureaucrat is working to overturn a ban by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) over allegations of systematic doping that could see Russian track and field stars sidelined from the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August.

While world track and field authorities remain sceptical about the country’s prospect of competing in Rio, Shlyakhtin insisted that Moscow is making progress.

“The process has started, maybe not as fast we would have wanted,” Shlyakhtin said. “Of course we have lots to do. But many things are being done.”

Shlyakhtin — a low-profile junior runner whose election came as a surprise to Russia’s athletics world — told Russian media upon his election that there was a “50 to 60 per cent” chance the country would see its track and field stars in Rio.

Today he is more optimistic that Russia will take part in the Games but shies away from providing a detailed assessment of the progress made and the work that lies ahead.

The current turmoil in Russian athletics was sparked when a report from a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) independent commission published in November laid bare evidence of state-sponsored doping and high-level corruption in sport in the country.