With no Russians, "few stars and the sport engulfed in a doping crisis the world indoor athletics championships begin this week with officials holding their breath and eager to put the spotlight back on the track," according to Steve Keating of REUTERS. That, however, "could be a tall order for an event routinely brushed off by athletics' biggest names and with one of the top track and field nations banned from international competition for widespread doping and corruption." Doping scandals involving Russian, Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes have "left a dark cloud hanging over the sport and will likely weigh heavily on the March 17-20 competition." Local organizing committee TrackTown USA President Vin Lananna said, "Hopefully people will embrace it. We'll see." The absence of Russian athletes "will be felt during the first day of competition as the women's pole vault will take place without Russian double Olympic champion and outdoor world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva" (REUTERS, 3/17). In London, Matt Majendie reported the "spectre of doping still looms," with the former European indoor 800m champion Nataliya Lupu a "late withdrawal as the latest athlete to fall foul of what is seemingly Eastern Europe’s drug of choice, Meldonium." Much like tennis player Maria Sharapova before her, the Ukrainian claimed she had been prescribed the medication for 15 years because of "changes in my cardiogram." Meldonium has been banned "since the start of this year" (INDEPENDENT, 3/16).
