Russia ban to run into 2017

By Mitch Phillips MONACO (Reuters) - Russia's athletics ban will run into 2017 and may include the August world championships after a Task Force monitoring the nation's anti-doping programme refused on Thursday to put any dates on a "road map" for a return. Rune Andersen, the Norwegian heading the independent Task Force, reported to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Council that there had been areas of progress but many issues still needed clarifying in the new year.