Vladimir Putin has condemned the decision by the world athletics’ governing body to uphold a ban on Russia for systematic doping, thereby excluding its track and field competitors from this summer’s Rio Olympics.<br /><br /> “Of course, it is unfair,” Putin told editors from leading international news agencies at a supper on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.<br /><br /> Denouncing the sanction as collective punishment, he said: “There are common acceptable principles of rights, one of which is that responsibility should be personalised.”<br /><br /> He went on: “If someone in your family has committed an offence, is it fair to prosecute all the family members … the people who have no relation to the violations – why should they suffer for others?”<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> Putin not going to accept ban of Russian track and field from Rio Olympics without a fight https://t.co/rdLYBOoXwT by @YahooSports— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) 17 juin 2016<br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> Putin is now seeking intervention from the International Olympic Committee despite its Vice President John Coates slamming Russia’s anti-doping and athletics authorities as “rotten to the core”.<br /><br /> Russia, a superpower of track and field, had lobbied furiously to avert the prospect of a Summer Olympics athletics programme taking place without its athletes, and argued that it was taking all the steps required of it to dispel charges of state-sponsored drug abuse.<br /><br /> But on Friday, IAAF boss Sebastian Coe acknowledged that while some progress had been made by the Russians, it was not enough. <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> ‘RusAF has not met reinstatement conditions’ – IAAF Council Meeting, Viennahttps://t.co/a9pzzqny0Q— IAAF (@iaaforg) 17 juin 2016<br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> Russian former drugs cheat Yulia Stepanova, whose whistle blowing revelations helped expose the massive doping problem in her country, welcomed the ongoing ban.<br /><br /> “It is good. It is good news for me,” said the 800-metres runner, who went into hiding after her bombshell exposé.<br /><br /> For while no athlete is set to compete in Rio under a Russian flag, a door has been left open for those who can now prove they are clean to take part as neutral competitors.<br />
