Breaches of anti-doping rules include failure to co-operate with an investigation and obstructing an investigation

The Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) has been charged with serious breaches of the anti-doping rules, including a failure to co-operate with an investigation and obstructing an investigation, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has said.

According to an AIU press release published on Thursday, the charges relate to the conduct of senior RusAF officials during an investigation into ‘whereabouts’ violations committed by Russian high jumper Danil Lysenko.

In June AW reported how Russian athletics officials had been accused of overseeing the forgery of documents in an attempt to cover up a breach of anti-doping rules by Lysenko.

The world indoor champion, who also claimed silver at the outdoor world championships in London in 2017, was provisionally suspended last year following a whereabouts rule violation.

According to an investigation report by The Sunday Times published at that time (June 1): “It is claimed that false paperwork was created to give Lysenko a medical excuse for failing to disclose his location.”

The AIU release states in part: “A number of senior federation officials, including the RusAF President, Dmitry Shlyakhtin, and Executive Director, Alexander Parkin, the Athlete and his coach, have also been charged with Tampering and/or Complicity under the Anti-Doping Rules and been provisionally suspended.

“This follows a 15-month AIU investigation (in co-operation with RUSADA) which concluded that RusAF officials had been involved in the provision of false explanations and forged documents to the AIU in order to explain whereabouts failures by the Athlete.”

The AIU added that RusAF has until December 12 to respond to the notice of charges.

More on individual charges for anti-doping rule violations and investigation details can be read in the AIU press release here.

“Each of these individuals has the right to respond to the charges against them, including to request that the charges and/or any consequences be determined by the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal,” said the AIU.

The Russian athletics federation has been suspended as an IAAF member since November 2015.