Flag display costs Russian runner recognition of world record
A new world record set by Russian ultramarathon runner Ivan Zaborsky will not be recognized by the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU), the Monaco-based organization has stated.
The 37-year-old runner was the only participant to cover more than 1,000km in the notoriously grueling ‘6 Days of France’ endurance race that ended on May 4. His closest competitor, Frank Gielen from Belgium, covered only about 900km, according to IAU data.
On Wednesday, ten days after the race, the IAU said it would not acknowledge Zaborsky’s record because of his nationality. “Any performances by Russian or Belarusian athletes running under the national flag will not be recognized and will not be included in the IAU records listing,” it stated, pointing to the “the provisional suspension imposed by World Athletics” as part of the sanctions slapped on Moscow over its military campaign against the Kiev regime.
The IAU also advised any ultramarathon event organizers against allowing any Russian or Belarusian athletes to participate by saying that they are not “permitted to compete in any official IAU major event” and maintaining that only those recognized as “neutral” should be allowed to join. Zaborsky crossed the finish line carrying the Russian flag.
Despite the statement, the Russian was still listed as the winner of the ‘6 Days of France’ on the IAU website as of May 18. Zaborsky himself told the news outlet Sport Express that the issue revolves around him carrying “the Russian flag at the finish [line].”
According to Zaborsky, the IAU’s decision might not actually significantly impact the outcome of the race, as it was organized by a different ultrarunning association – the US-based Global Organization of Multi-Day Ultramarathoners (GOMU). “I have not seen any statements from them,” he said.
As of Sunday, the GOMU has not commented on the issue and has not included Zaborsky’s result in any of its listings of records.
