British Olympic 10,000m runner Jo Pavey says the entire Russian team should be banned from competing at the 2016 Olympic Games. The Briton, who is set to compete at her fifth Olympics, will not face Russian athletes after the country’s track and field team were barred from taking part in Rio.
It was a bad decision by the IOC as it was a chance for them to really show that doping will not be tolerated and it doesn’t send out the strong message that they had the opportunity to send out.
Pavey is a four-time Olympian, having represented Great Britain in every Olympic Games from 2000 to 2012. She is also the 2012 European Championship silver medallist in the 10,000 m and a two-time 5000 m medallist at the Commonwealth Games, winning silver in Melbourne 2006 and bronze in Glasgow 2014.
At global level, her best results include finishing fourth in the 10,000 m at the 2007 World Championships and fifth in the 5000 m at the 2004 Olympic Games. In 2015 media reports stated that 2007 silver medalist Elvan Abeylegesse had been found, on retesting, to have taken a prohibited substance, and suspended by IAAF. If confirmed, this would elevate Pavey to the bronze medal, her first World Championship medal.
