MOSCOW (AP) — Ten visually impaired Russian athletes in powerlifting have been banned for doping in a case linked to claims that some of them may have been doped without their knowledge.
The 10 athletes made up almost the entire national team. Nine of them were medalists at the 2015 World Championships for blind and visually impaired powerlifters, and only three of the 13-strong Russian team from that competition remain eligible to compete.
The Russian anti-doping agency says in a statement that eight athletes were banned for four years, with two earning eight-year bans.
The agency says the sanctions were backdated to May 2015, the time of the championships, meaning the athletes stand to lose their medals.