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AOC Boss John Coates Backs Russian Athlete Ban At Rio

A doping penalty has been slapped on the country's track and field team.
John Coates supports a ban on Russian athletes from Rio.
Issei Kato / Reuters
John Coates supports a ban on Russian athletes from Rio.

Australian Olympic Committee chief executive John Coates has backed the IAAF's decision to uphold a ban on Russia's track and field team over doping breaches.

The IAAF overnight voted unanimously to uphold its ban on Russia for widespread doping, saying there had not been enough progress on reforms to allay concerns of state-sponsored drug abuse.

The ban means no Russian track and field athlete will compete at the Rio Games, a penalty that has been described as an "extraordinary punishment without precedent in Olympics history".

Russia claims the ban is unfair and is calling for it to be lifted.

Coates on Saturday said he was satisfied with the IAAF's actions.

"I think they (IAAF) said it might take a couple of years more before they are satisfied that the right attitudes are there," he told reporters in Melbourne, sitting alongside race walker Jared Tallent.

"I am very happy with it."

Tallent, who was beaten by a Russian drug cheat for gold at the London Olympics, was also pleased with the outcome.

The Huffington Post Australia spoke to Tallent this week after the Aussie finally got the gold he deserved for the 50km race walk at London 2012.

"All the Olympics I have been to, all Russian medallists, and I think they have run four or five in each Olympics I have been to, each of those medallists has later been banned for doping," he said on Saturday.

"That won't happen in Rio because they won't be there."

The International Olympic Committee has taken note of the IAAF's decision and will discuss it at a meeting this week.

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