Russia investigates claims of banned athletes racing

Russia investigates claims of banned athletes racing | iNFOnews.ca
Runners pass the Kremlin while taking part in the Moscow International Marathon 2016, in Moscow in a September 25, 2016, file photo. Russian anti-doping authorities have opened an investigation after two banned athletes were apparently allowed to compete in the country's biggest marathon. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Ivan Sekretarev

MOSCOW – Russian anti-doping authorities have opened an investigation after two banned athletes were apparently allowed to compete in the country’s biggest marathon.

Tamara Shchemerova was listed as finishing eighth in the official results from last month’s Moscow Marathon, with Yevgeny Khokhlov listed in 10th place in a related men’s 10-kilometre race.

However, the Russian track and field federation had announced four-year bans for both runners two days earlier. Shchemerova was banned for refusing to take a drug test at Russia’s national track and field championships, while Khokhlov tested positive for the banned drug EPO.

The federation also warned in a statement that Shchemerova had breached an earlier suspension by continuing to compete.

Russian anti-doping agency head Anna Antseliovich tells the R-Sport agency “we have started an investigation” into the pair.

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