Russia’s track and field doping ban won’t affect Paralympics

BONN, Germany – Russia’s doping ban from athletics won’t affect its Paralympians, the International Paralympic Committee said on Monday.

The All-Russia Athletic Federation’s suspension from international competitions, including the Olympics, was upheld last week by the IAAF.

However, the IPC said it wasn’t applying the sanction to the Russian Paralympic team because they have “no association” with ARAF, which oversaw able-bodied athletes.

The IPC said in a statement that it contacted the World Anti-Doping Agency, which has detailed widespread doping in Russian athletics, to see if Paralympians were implicated.

Following that check, “currently there is no evidence that the anti-doping issues within (ARAF) extend to the Russian Paralympic Committee or Russian Para athletics team,” the IPC said.

The IPC in April doubled its budget for drug testing, and said the extra money will be spent “to ensure greater focus on certain countries and territories,” a group likely to include Russia.

Also on Monday, the IPC announced a four-year doping ban for Azerbaijani powerlifter Maharram Aliyev after he tested positive for two banned steroids in March at a competition in Dubai, where he won.

Aliyev competed at the 2008 and 2012 Paralympics, with a best result of fifth place in 2012.