A taskforce from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) will visit Russia for the first time next month after the nation was banned from the sport following claims of systematic doping.
The visit, scheduled for January 10th and 11th, will investigate whether Russia are following a series of steps they must take to be reinstated to the sport before the Rio Olympics in August after being outed last month.
"We have established a good working relationship as the basis of our future discussions and meetings together," Rune Andersen, independent chairperson of the taskforce, said.
"I look forward with my fellow members of the IAAF taskforce to visiting Moscow in three weeks' time."
The news comes after Russia's sports minister said accusations the government is covering up doping of athletes are unfounded.
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Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko says "to blame such a country as Russia that we, on an absolute government level, are covering something up is impossible."
He says individual athletes should take responsibility for staying clean.
Mutko says the government "cannot sleep together with each of the athletes."
He adds: "How can I control them? What can I do to them? It's silly, don't you understand?"
