(ATR) Pressure is mounting on the IAAF and IOC to ban Russia from the Rio Olympics after reports that 14 of its athletes are among 31 positives from retests of Beijing 2008 doping samples.
Most of the Russians suspected of doping are track and field athletes, including London 2012 high jump champion Anna Chicherova, according to state-run news agency TASS. She is one of the first athletes to be named. Another isBeijing 2008 javelin silver medalist Mariya Abakumova.
TASS said the IOC had informed the Russian Olympic Committee about the 14 athletes.
The IOC declined to confirm the news. "We clearly would not comment on such unsubstantiated reports at this stage in the process," said an IOC spokesman.
Chicherova’s coach Yevgeny Zagorulko told TASS that the Beijing 2008 bronze medalist "received a notice that her doping sample from the Beijing Olympic tested positive after a re-check and she called me. So far, this is at the development stage and this has not yet been finally confirmed. But all are aware of this and are dealing with the issue".
Reports of more Russian athletes failing doping tests comes a day before IAAF inspectors head to Moscow to evaluate the country’s progress in revamping its tarnished anti-doping system.
Allegations of a state-supported cover-up of doping samples at the Sochi 2014 Olympics, now the subject of a WADA probe, are also jeopardizing Russia’s participation at Rio 2016.
Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko told Sputnik news on Tuesday that he saw no grounds for banning Russia from Rio 2016 as the government was taking steps to reform its anti-doping system.
Mutko was due to meet a group of international media later in the day.
The IOC announced last week that 31 athletes from 12 countries and six sports could be banned from the Rio Olympics after they tested positive in retesting of 454 selected samples from the Beijing Games.
Results of retesting 250 doping samples from the London Olympics were due early this week. The retesting program focused on athletes who could potentially start at the Rio Olympics and used the latest scientific analysis methods.
The IOC told Around the Ringson Tuesday "We expect them shortly."
The All-Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF), in a statement reported by Reuters, said on Tuesday that athletes who had been previously caught doping would not be allowed to represent Russia at the Rio Olympics.
Reported by Mark Bisson
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