World Athletics firm on Russia ban, Coe acknowledges need for solution

core_answer: World Athletics president Sebastian Coe confirmed the federation will maintain its blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes at the final press conference of the inaugural Ultimate Championship in Budapest, as a CAS arbitration hearing approaches in the coming months.
key_facts: World Athletics has banned Russian and Belarusian athletes since 2022; Coe reiterated the ban at Ultimate Championship Budapest.; CAS arbitration: RusAF filed its initial appeal in July, followed by a fresh appeal in August; hearing expected within months.; ISU has introduced a selective neutral-athlete pathway — in contrast to World Athletics' total exclusion — but has revoked status in cases like Kamila Valieva (2022 Beijing Olympics).; Coe framed the ban as 'integrity, not politics,' declining to disclose legal strategy to avoid prejudicing the pending case.; Russia remains excluded from World Athletics decision-making processes, a separate grievance beyond athlete eligibility.
source: Budapest, September 2025 | World Athletics Ultimate Championship press conference | Cross-checked: VuaBong.vn
related_qa: q: Why is World Athletics' stance stricter than other federations like ISU?, a: World Athletics layers its 2022 geopolitical ban atop RusAF's anti-doping suspension since 2015, creating a two-tier legal justification that ISU does not hold.; q: What happens if CAS rules against World Athletics?, a: A CAS loss could force World Athletics to design a neutral-athlete mechanism — similar to the ISU model — rather than fully reinstate RusAF.; q: How does the Valieva case affect the ban debate?, a: The ISU's revocation of Valieva's neutral status functions as a cautionary tale supporting both ban-maintainers and re-entry advocates, depending on interpretation.