Yelena Isinbayeva has called for “a line to be drawn” under allegations that Russia operated a state-sponsored doping scheme and called for it be re-admitted back to competition by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
The double Olympic pole vault champion was last week appointed chair of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) and has vowed to restore confidence in her country following the publication on Friday (December 9) of the damning McLaren Report.
One of her immediate targets will be trying to help persuade the IAAF to reinstate Russia into international competition in time for the 2017 World Championships in London.
The country has been banned from international events since November 2015 following an World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Independent Commission led by Canadian lawyer Richard Pound.
He found evidence to support allegations made by German television broadcaster ARD that the Government was involved in helping athletes dope.
Pound also confirmed that Russian athletes paid bribes to the IAAF to to help cover-up positive drugs tests and avoid being banned.
The IAAF’s subsequent suspension ruled Russia out of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.
An IAAF Taskforce, led by Norwegian Rune Andersen, is due to visit the Russian capital again next month to review whether the ban should be lifted.
