President of the International Association of Athletics Federations has revealed that Russia would not be banned from major competitions because of systematic doping programme allegations.
A German TV documentary had alleged last year that as many as 99 percent of Russian athletes had been guilty of doping and the IAAF and the World Anti-Doping Agency are investigating the matter.
However, IAAF president Lamine Diack said that suggestions Russia could be excluded from major events were a joke, the BBC reported.
Diack, who would stand down in August after 16 years in the role, insisted that they athletes are in and claimed that Russia is a great nation of athletics.
In January, Russia's anti-doping agency suspended five athletes who compete in the walk, including three Olympic champions and the same month, Russian heptathlete Tatyana Chernova was banned for two years for doping by the Russian anti-doping agency, the report added.