MOSCOW, January 21 (R-Sport) – Twelve Russian athletes in seven different sports have tested positive for banned substances, the national anti-doping agency RUSADA said Tuesday.
Two more athletes have also been disqualified as a result of earlier failed tests, it said.
Although none of the athletes are involved in winter sports, the test results are still likely to make unwelcome reading for Russian sports chiefs as the country gears up to host the Olympics in Sochi from February 7-23.
They come days after separate allegations of a failed test for Russia’s swimming world champion Yulia Efimova.
The most prominent athlete identified by RUSADA in Tuesday's announcements is former national kickboxing champion Andrei Khlynovsky. Three shooters, three track and field athletes, two weightlifters, a kayak racer, a wrestler and a powerlifter were also named as having failed drug tests.
The 12 gave positive samples at various national championship events between September and December and have now been provisionally suspended from competition pending the conclusion of a formal disciplinary process, RUSADA said.
There was no word on which banned substances had been found in the samples. None of the 12 has ever won a medal at a major international competition.
Separately, two powerlifters have been given full bans in response to failed tests announced last month, RUSADA said, citing the Russian Powerlifting Federation.
Alexander Shumilov received a two-year ban backdated to November 15, while Yuri Kivilev was handed a six-month disqualification dated from November 6.
