The VFLA has received a fine of ten million US dollars for anti-doping violations. The court, paying half of the fine, will only have to pay the remaining five million dollars if the rules are repeated within two years.
On Wednesday, VFLA President Yevgeny Yurchenko explained in a conversation with the local news agency TASS that no funds have been found for the payment. The stability of the organization has been severely shaken by the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, Russian Sports Minister Oleg Maticin explained to local media that the ministry had received a request from the VFLA for the possibility to extend the payment deadline. The ministry has sent the same call to World Athletics, urging the international organization not to impose additional sanctions for late payment.
As early as March, World Athletics announced that it would cancel the “neutral athletes” option if Russia did not pay the penalty by July 1.
World Athletics also decided earlier that only ten Russian athletes would be able to start under the neutral flag at the Tokyo Olympics.
World Athletics disqualified the VFLA in 2015 for systematic doping violations and has extended the penalty several times.
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