MOSCOW, Russia – All-Russian athletics federation (ARAF) made official statement after five top Russian race walkers Sergey Kirdyapkin, Sergey Kirdyapkin, Sergey Bakulin, Vladimir Kanaykin, and Valery Borchin have been banned.
ARAF president Valentin Balakhnichev noted that federation would react on its work shortcomings and would make some changes in its structure.
“In this case ARAF has to state that we had serious errors in our work, which have caused harm to Russian athletics. Federation never motivated, encouraged or suggested to use doping… but have not always acted systematically and consistently…
"We must respond to the shortcomings in our work and draw the structural changes,” Balakhnichev said in his statement at Rusathletics.com.
