Court of Arbitration For Sport to Judge Bans For Six Russian Athletes Caught Doping
Russia were suspended from global track and field events by the IAAF following World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) allegations of a vast state-sponsored doping operation.
The allegedly corrupt Russian anti-doping system in athletics goes on trial at sport's highest court next week with two 2012 Olympic medals at stake. (Russia to Hold Talks With World Anti-Doping Agency)
The Court of Arbitration for Sport says it will hear appeals on December 2-3 by the IAAF against six Russian athletes, their athletics federation and the national anti-doping agency RUSADA. (President Vladimir Putin Orders Action on Russia Doping Scandal)
The IAAF is challenging selective timing of bans imposed by RUSADA in January after blood doping was proved. (Russia Provisionally Suspended by IAAF Over Doping Scandal)
The cases could mean disqualification for Sergei Kirdyapkin, the Olympic men's 50-kilometer race walk champion, and Olga Kaniskina, the women's 20-kilometer walk silver medalist.
RUSADA handed Kirdyapkin and Kaniskina bans of three years and two months but applied them from late 2012.
The case involves race walkers Sergei Bakulin, Valery Borchin, Vladimir Kanaykin, Kaniskina and Kirdyapkin, plus Olympic 3,000-metre steeplechase champion Yulia Zaripova.