Isinbayeva: Russia must be allowed back
Yelena Isinbayeva says Russia have done everything required to be allowed back into international athletics after their doping ban.
Russian athletics legend Yelena Isinbayeva says "a line needs to be drawn" under the country's doping controversy after taking necessary measures to be readmitted IAAF membership.
Part two of the McLaren report was released on Friday, alleging that over 1000 Russian athletes were implicated in state-sponsored doping that took place from 2011 to 2015.
Professor Richard McLaren, commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), sent shockwaves through the sporting world last July when his initial findings were that Russia operated a state-sponsored doping programme.
Russian track and field athletes were subsequently banned from Rio 2016, a move which prompted double Olympic champion Isinbayeva's retirement.
She has since moved into administration, taking roles on the International Olympic Committee's athlete's commission and the supervisory board of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).
And she believes that Russia should be brought back into the international fold after taking steps to root out cheating.
"I want to believe soon they will find a compromise," Isinbayeva told insidethegames.biz.
"We have done everything they asked - we did it even before Rio 2016.
"I hope soon that we can compete internationally otherwise we will have no chance to develop the sport in Russia, we lose visibility otherwise.
"We must find a solution as the worst thing has happened already - we missed the Olympic Games.
"Russia must be allowed back.
"A line needs to be drawn under the situation, otherwise it could go on for years."
On her retirement, she added: "I still have regrets I didn't have the chance to win a third [Olympic] gold medal.
"But I have more regret that young Russian athletes who had trained hard and sacrificed a lot had their dreams stolen because of the mistakes of others.
"It's a big gap between Olympic Games, four years is a long time.
"I have done everything so I can't have too many regrets. Everyone knows I'm honest and clean. I don't think it put a shadow over my career.
"The athletes voted me as a member of the IOC [at Rio 2016] so it proved that they believed me."