Russia's Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has brushed off the problem of his country's likely suspension from the World Indoor Athletics Championships in March - by claiming it will help athletes better prepare for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Monaco, before consultation with WADA and the publication of the criteria.Related stories November 2015: Coe

International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) overturned - with the body's President Sebastian Coe

The verification criteria must be robust otherwise the inspection process will fail," said Coe."

level playing field and thereby re-establish confidence in the integrity of competition.”Sebastian Coe

Rune Andersen establish a clear path upon which the verification criteria will be established," said Coe

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt and American duo Ashton Eaton and Christian Taylor are the three finalists for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Male Athlete of the Year award while Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba, Dafne Schippers of The Netherlands and Poland’s Anita Wlodarczyk are in contention for the women’s prize, it has been announced.

ImagesOwing to the ongoing doping scandals which has plunged the sport into crisis, IAAF President Sebastian Coe

of accepting bribes to cover up doping charges, remains the President.Despite cancelling the event, Coe

Valerie Adams of New Zealand won the respective awards in 2014.Related storiesNovember 2015: Sebastian Coe

The All-Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) and its athletes should be banned from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, according to the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organisations (iNADO), with the organisation stating “corruption in Russian athletics deserves no less”.

, and four members of the IAAF Council, will oversee Russia's return with IAAF President Sebastian Coe

highest levels of competition when anti-doping has been intentionally subverted.IAAF President Sebastian Coe

Four time Olympic medallist and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Athletes' Commission chair Frankie Fredericks will serve alongside Norwegian chair Rune Andersen in a five-strong IAAF inspection team tasked with verifying reforms undertaken in Russia before a lifting of its suspension is considered.

“I’m honoured to have been asked by [IAAF President] Sebastian Coe to head the verification process,

“After consultation with WADA, we will set the verification criteria," Coe added."

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Independent Commission chair Richard Pound has claimed it is "pretty clear" there is a lot of performance enhancing drug use in Kenya, suggesting it should be a "major concern" for the authorities as they aim to clean up problems within athletics.

He also defended IAAF President Sebastian Coe, the Briton who is accused of being "asleep on the job"

Kenya's David Okeyo, a member of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ruling Council that voted to ban Russia, is being investigated by police in his home country after allegedly misusing funds from a sponsorship deal with Nike.

As part of the root and branch governance reform project that [IAAF President] Sebastian Coe has announced

Russia's suspension by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) was too harsh a punishment, according to the President of the All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF).

Sebastian Coe, the IAAF President, said the decision to suspend was a "wake-up" call for Russia.The provisional

Russia has been provisionally suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for its alleged involvement in widespread doping, meaning it could miss next year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. 

The message could not be stronger," said Sebastian Coe, President of the IAAF, as he left his offices

IAAF President Sebastian Coe announced the decision to suspend Russia ©BBCRussia's Sports Minister Vitaly

"We are 100 per cent in support of President Coe and believe that he is the leader that our sport needs

"There can be no more important focus for our sport.”Coe also briefed the IAAF Council on his plans to

Paul Deighton, who worked alongside Coe at London 2012 as chief executive, has been appointed to oversee

If I could give one piece of advice to any professional sportsperson it would simply be this: don’t dare seek a career in the world of sporting governance once your career reaches its end.

albeit in contrasting fashion, are ex-professionals, with double Olympic gold medallist Sebastian Coe

Beckenbauer, who have both been accused of corruption within FIFA.It is important to mention here that Coe

have proved, once you start your journey on that path there is no going back.IAAF President Sebastian Coe

Russia is set to admit to some of the allegations made in the explosive World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Independent Commission report as they seek to avoid being banned by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

conceded that they would admit to some of the report's revelations.The IAAF and its President Sebastian Coe

laboratory quits after identified in WADA report as key figure in doping scandalNovember 2015: Exclusive: Coe

Russia will not boycott next year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro if the country's athletes are banned following allegations of "state-supported" doping, the country's Sports Minister has promised.

laboratory quits after identified in WADA report as key figure in doping scandalNovember 2015: Exclusive: Coe

Russia's second-largest bank VTB announced today it would not renew its sponsorship contract with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) but insisted the decision has nothing to do with the current doping scandal its athletes are at the centre of.

laboratory quits after identified in WADA report as key figure in doping scandalNovember 2015: Exclusive: Coe

Vladimir Putin has called for an investigation into allegations of systemic doping within Russian athletics, admitting it is a "pressing issue which requires unending attention".

laboratory quits after identified in WADA report as key figure in doping scandalNovember 2015: Exclusive: Coe

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has claimed an independent drugs testing system is "more important than ever" and believes it should be responsible for sanctioning as well as testing.

National Olympic Committees President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, although new IAAF head Sebastian Coe