Athletics has entered a new moral crisis. After the release
of WADA’s report concerning Russian doping, a blanket ban on Russian athletes
in international competitions seems more likely than ever. The IAAF has been
put into an unprecedented situation for sport; do they try to protect their
remaining integrity against future doping scandals, or do they strive towards
the Olympic ideal of participation for all nations?
The decision primarily lies with IAAF President Lord Sebastian
Coe and whatever course of action he takes it is sure to be momentous; he was
elected to the role of President, in part, due to his strong anti-doping
stance. This would suggest that he would jump on the opportunity to exclude
Russian athletes in order to ensure the survival of his sport.
But then we have to consider Coe as a former athlete, one
who competed at the boycotted Olympics of Moscow and Los Angeles. Coe himself stood
against the politicisation of the Games, supporting the view of the British Olympic
Association that no athlete should be prevented from competing at the Olympics.
Nonetheless he did refuse to compete in South Africa during
the apartheid era, showing it is not beyond his moral compass to punish certain
actions through boycotts, even those issues that are not strictly confined to
the world of sport.
The implications of a blanket ban could be huge; WADA aims
to work in the best interests of ‘clean athletes’, yet their recommendation
will almost inevitably damage the opportunities for some clean Russian
athletes. The Olympic Games could also lose some of their commercial appeal,
especially in Russia, the planet’s 9th most populous country.
The ban would also hinder Yelena Isinbayeva’s hopes of
becoming a member of the IOC, through the Athletes’ Commission elections at the
Rio Games. However this would not be possible if she is denied the opportunity
to compete based on her nationality. This could prove crucial in the decision
making process for the IAAF, given Isinbayeva’s considerable stature within the
federation as well as her support for Coe’s bid for Presidency.
Yet the consequences of not following WADA’s recommendations
could be even more grave; Coe’s every move as President has been monitored by Sunday
Times journalists looking for their next front page scoop, and any perceived
failure to tackle doping could result in another barrage of bad publicity for
the sport. Furthermore any positive drugs tests from the Rio Games could blow
up in his face several years from now and threaten his tenure as leader of
Athletics’ governing body.
We also need to make sure that we do not turn Russia into a scapegoat for doping. It is very easy for people in the west to criticise rival nations for cheating in sport, but the issue is not confined to former Soviet shores, and we cannot act as though a Russian ban would be like waving a magic wand around the sport.
It is clear that Seb Coe is leading the IAAF through choppy
waters, and it is imperative that he picks the right course for the
organisation, or else risk being run aground.
