Russia's Track Athletes Forced To Miss 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships

Russia's field and track athletes have failed to secure neutral status and will therefore miss the 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships, which Poland will host early next month, the Russian Athletics Federation said on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th February, 2021) Russia's field and track athletes have failed to secure neutral status and will therefore miss the 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships, which Poland will host early next month, the Russian Athletics Federation said on Wednesday.

The Russian Athletics Federation said it had done everything possible to enable "clean" athletes' participation in the tournament. However, the possibility of restoring the neutral status for Russian athletes is likely to be discussed no earlier than at the World Athletics Council, scheduled for March 17-18, the federation went on to say.

"This means Russians will not be able to participate in the European Athletics Indoor Championships. We understand the disappointment of our athletes, coaches and athletics fans, and we ask our athletes to arm themselves with patience again and to consistently prepare for the summer season. We will keep pressing for the possibility for Russians to participate in international competitions," the Russian Athletics Federation said in a statement.