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A22 SPORTS
Saturday 28 July 2018

Russia could be

reinstated in

December, says IAAF

Katie Ledecky swims to a win in the women’s 800-meter freestyle during the U.S. national
championships swimming meet Wednesday, July 25, 2018, in Irvine, Calif.
Associated Press
In this Friday, June 17, 2016 file photo, Rune Andersen, Chair Missy Franklin misses
of IAAF Inspection Team, speaks at a news conference at
the Grand Hotel in Vienna, Austria.
Associated Press out at U.S. Nationals

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Russia could be
provisionally reinstated to worldwide track and field By BETH HARRIS gree heat in the morning “You’re still loved by the
competition in December if it meets certain condi- AP Sports Writer and steamy conditions same people.”
tions, the International Association of Athletics Fed- IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Missy from showers running con- Also earning trips to Japan
erations (IAAF) said Friday. Franklin missed out at the stantly in the locker room. were third-place Gabby
Track and field’s governing body suspended Russia U.S. national champion- “It was a blessing in disguise Deloof and Olympian Leah
in November 2015 after a World Anti-Doping Agency ships, failing to qualify for because it really pushed Smith, who was fourth.
report detailed widespread, state-sponsored doping the two biggest meets me to get out of my com- The foursome qualified for
in the sport. leading up to the 2020 fort zone and really race the 4x200 free relay at Pan
“They have made significant improvement in meet- Olympics. this morning,” she said. Pacs, reuniting Ledecky
ing the outstanding requirements,” Rune Andersen, Franklin didn’t make the fi- “Kind of tried to take that and Schmitt, who first swam
the IAAF’s Russia task force head, said during a two- nal in either of her events same energy and apply it a relay together at the 2016
day meeting in Argentina’s capital. and as a result will miss next tonight in a racing suit. Just Rio de Janeiro Games.
“In fact, in some cases, they have gone above and month’s Pan Pacific cham- made my morning a little Andrew Seliskar surprised
beyond what is required.” pionships in Tokyo and the bit harder.” a field including five Olym-
Andersen, however, said three conditions had to be 2019 world championships. Ledecky led all the way to pians to win the men’s 200
met before Russia could be readmitted to interna- She led through the first win the 200 free, earning a free in 1:45.70, third-quick-
tional competition. three laps in the C final of second individual event to est in the world this year.
Firstly, RUSAF (the Russian Athletics Federation) has to the 200-meter freestyle on swim in Japan next month. Micah Sumrall, who took
pay for costs incurred by the IAAF as a result of the Thursday night before fad- Ledecky touched first in time off after failing to make
scandal. ing to third and touching in 1 minute, 54.60 seconds, the 2016 Olympic team,
The WADA must also reinstate the Russian Anti-Dop- 1 minute, 59.15 seconds. second-fastest in the world won the 200 breaststroke
ing Agency (RUSADA), which depends on the coun- “I’ve trained really, re- this year behind her top by 1.26 seconds. Sumrall,
try acknowledging the findings that officials at the ally hard the past seven time of 1:54.56 she swam in who used to swim under
Russian ministry of sports orchestrated the doping of months, and was definitely June. Looking on was Lak- her maiden name of Law-
its athletes, and its cover-up. hoping it would show up a ers great Kobe Bryant and rence, touched in 2:22.06,
Finally, Russian authorities have to give access to little bit more,” Franklin said. one of his daughters. fourth-best in the world this
data from doping tests carried out at RUSADA’s Mos- The four-time gold medalist Ledecky qualified for her year. Lilly King, the Olympic
cow laboratory from 2011-15. at the 2012 London Games second event at the Pan 100 breast champion, was
“It would make a mockery of clean sport to reinstate didn’t enter her signature Pacific championships fifth.
RUSAF when the evidence required to resolve these backstroke events, hav- in Tokyo in August after The men’s 200 breast win-
suspicions, one way or the other, is still being with- ing undergone two shoul- winning the 800 free on ner was 2016 Olympic sil-
held,” Andersen said. der surgeries at the start Wednesday. ver medalist Josh Prenot in
WADA is communicating with Russian authorities to of last year. Katie Ledecky Swimming in the next lane, 2:07.28, the world’s fastest
try to resolve these issues before the meeting of the averted a potential crisis in three-time Olympian Allison time this year.
doping agency’s executive committee in Septem- the morning preliminaries, Schmitt chased Ledecky There was a tie for first in
ber. swimming in a practice suit the entire race and finished the women’s 200 back-
“We hope there will be a breakthrough,” Andersen after her racing suit split. second in 1:55.82. stroke between 2016 Olym-
said. “If these points are resolved before the (IAAF) The five-time Olympic Schmitt was buoyed by pian Kathleen Baker and
Council’s next meeting in Monaco in December champion wasn’t the only supportive messages from 16-year-old Regan Smith.
2018, then the Task Force would hope and expect to one having a wardrobe friend Michael Phelps in her Their time of 2:06.43 was
be able to recommend that RUSAF would be provi- malfunction. comeback that began full- third-quickest in the world
sionally reinstated at that time.” Ledecky said several swim- time in January. this year and a junior world
The Russian team was banned from the Winter Olym- mers’ suits were sticking to “He just reminded me record for Smith.
pics in February.q them and tearing, in part that swimming is such a “It was crazy,” a breathless
because of the near 90-de- small part of life,” she said. Smith said.q