Athletics Canada says no to Russians in Rio

OTTAWA — Athletics Canada wants the ban of Russia's track and field team to continue.

The governing body of track and field in Canada has sent a letter to IAAF president Sebastian Coe asking for the suspension of Russia's track and field team because of widespread doping allegations be upheld.

The IAAF is expected to announce Friday in Vienna whether Russia will be reinstated for the Summer Games in Rio in August.

"While we acknowledge some modest progress has been made in Russia, Athletics Canada feels strongly there is little evidence of a reversal in a systematic and deep rooted doping culture in Russian Athletics, and therefore there is no justification to grant re-inclusion," Athletics Canada chief executive officer Rob Guy said in the open letter posted on social media Thursday.

"Keeping Russia's ban will underscore our firm resolve to protect the interests of clean athletes everywhere."

Russia's track team was slapped with an international suspension in November after a World Anti-Doping Agency report, delivered by Canadian lawyer Dick Pound, accused Russia of state-sponsored doping.

Athletics Canada empathizes with Russia's clean athletes, Guy wrote.

"Their federation has failed them and the ongoing recent revelations of non-compliance, lack of co-operation and widespread individual doping violations from previous Olympics cause one to be skeptical about any Russian performances," he said.

"We encourage the IAAF to err on the side of caution to protect the integrity of our sport and the Olympic movement."

Many Canadian track athletes will compete at the Harry Jerome International Track Classic in Burnaby, B.C., on Friday.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version misspelled Sebastian Coe's first name.