IAAF lets 3 Russians compete as neutrals despite doping ban

Published Feb. 23, 2017 4:59 p.m. ET

MONACO (AP) The IAAF has allowed three Russians to compete as ''neutral athletes'' in time for the European indoor championships next week.

Pole vault titleholder Anzhelika Sidorova is the best known of the three, along with sprinter Kristina Sivkova and hammer thrower Alexei Sokirsky. Thursday was the entry deadline for the European indoors in Belgrade, Serbia.

Russia has been suspended from international athletics since November 2015 for widespread doping.

To compete as neutrals, Russian athletes have to show they have been tested regularly for drugs. That can't include tests conducted by the suspended Russian anti-doping agency, which faces allegations it covered up drug use.

The IAAF says it turned down six other applications for unspecified reasons, and didn't name the athletes who were rejected.