Doping: WADA Suggests IAAF Should Suspend Russia from Rio 2016

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has recommended that the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) suspend the All Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) from competing in Rio 2016.The recommendation was contained in a report following investigations by WADA that the Russian federation helped athletes cover up doping offences.WADA Officials stated that the report “identified intentional & malicious destruction of more than 1400 samples by Moscow laboratory officials”, recommending that the Russian federation be suspended from next year’s Olympics.It also suggested that five athletes and five coaches be given lifetime doping bans.Meanwhile, the International Olympic committee has recommended that former IAAF president Lamine Diack be provisionally suspended as an honorary memberDiack is currently being investigated by French authorities for also allegedly helping to cover doping offences.The 82 year old, who stepped down from his position as president of Athletics’ governing body in August, is also facing investigations for corruption and money laundering.The French office, which handles financial prosecutions added that his legal adviser, Habib Cisse, has also been placed under investigation by judges acting on evidence provided by the World Anti-Doping Agency.The World of Athletics has suffered severe damages in recent months following data published by The Sporting Times which show that 5000 athletes belonging to the International Association of Athletics Federations have an “extraordinary extent of cheating”The files say a third of all medals in endurance events (146, including 55 golds) at Olympics and World Championships were won by athletes who recorded suspicious tests, according to independent experts who have analyzed the data.IOC president Thomas Bach has already warned that the organization will have “zero tolerance” to anyone found guilty of doping.