It comes to no surprise to anyone that the Russians apparently continue to cheat.

The only nation to be banned by the International Association of Athletics Federations and the only nation to be banned by the International Olympic Committee – they continue to find ways to demonstrate an appalling disregard for rules.

World Anti Doping Agency president Sir Craig Reedie believes that the Russians have changed and was recently advocating for their including. He went so far as to call out Russian detractors.

From Inside the Games

Russian officials have promised to cooperate with an investigation into claims forged paperwork was submitted to help world indoor champion Danil Lysenko avoid a doping ban as they insisted the alleged cover-up would not affect their participation at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

British newspaper The Sunday Times reported that the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) submitted fake documents as evidence Lysenko, a rising star in the country, was too ill to provide his location on the whereabouts system.

The latest accusations of wrongdoing by Russia could be taken into account by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Council when it holds its next Council meeting later this week, where the country’s possible reinstatement will be among the key items on the agenda.

The 22-year-old, winner of a silver medal at the 2017 IAAF World Championships In London competing as a neutral athlete, was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) last year following a whereabouts rule violation.

Athletes who fail to correctly input information onto the system, which gives doping control officers the location of athletes so they can be tested, are usually banned.

Mitigating circumstances such as illness can be submitted, however, in an effort to reduce the length of the suspension.

The Sunday Times alleges the paperwork on Lysenko’s case was drawn up by doctors at a bogus clinic in Moscow with a view to circumventing the rules.

They were allegedly trying to prove he was too ill to submit his whereabouts data.

In response, RusAF President Dmitry Shlyakhtin claimed the reports in the British media were deliberately timed to coincide with the IAAF Council meeting in Monaco on Saturday and Sunday (June 8 and 9).