Coates says unlikely IOC will overturn IAAF ban

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) IOC vice president John Coates says he doesn't think the International Olympic Committee will overturn an IAAF ban on Russia's track and field federation.

On Friday, the IAAF decided to uphold a competition ban on Russia, ruling the country had not met readmission criteria imposed when it was suspended last year over state-sponsored doping.

Coates, who is also president of the Australian Olympic Committee, said Saturday ''we will consider it (overturning the ban) but I'd be very, very surprised ... it's an international federation's right to suspend a national federation and I don't think we would overturn that at all.''

Coates will attend a meeting in Switzerland on Tuesday, a summit called by the IOC to address ''the difficult decision between collective responsibility and individual justice'' over the Russia situation.

Russia was banned in November after a World Anti-Doping Agency report detailed widespread, state-sponsored doping in track and field and cover-ups at Russian drug testing bodies. A follow-up WADA report Wednesday said drug testers continued to be obstructed and deceived by Russian athletes and state officials.

Also Saturday, the head of the Russian Olympic Committee, Alexander Zhukov, said that hopes of overturning the IAAF ruling at the IOC were slim.

''There are doubts that the IOC has the jurisdiction to change the ruling,'' he said in comments reported by Russian news agency R-Sport.

''We will fight to the end. There's an official ruling which we need to examine together with lawyers and look to further steps.''

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the decision as ''unfair'' and ''collective punishment.''