World Athletics has kept its ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, with president Sebastian Coe rejecting a conditional route back to international competition. The decision means the two countries remain shut out of the sport’s global events under the current rules.
The issue centers on whether athletes from Russia and Belarus should be allowed to return under limited or neutral conditions. According to the available details, Coe did not support that kind of compromise, leaving the existing restrictions in place rather than opening a phased or conditional comeback.
The RT article presents Coe as a central figure in blocking Russia’s return and frames the dispute in highly personal and political terms. Its argument goes beyond the governing body’s decision itself, portraying the World Athletics stance as part of a deeper conflict between the organization’s leadership and Russia.
At its core, the latest development confirms that World Athletics is not yet prepared to change course. For Russian and Belarusian athletes, the ruling extends their absence from international athletics and keeps any return dependent on a future policy shift by the sport’s governing body.
