Olympic and World Champions Among 12 Russians Banned for Doping

By Adam Kopet

Ivan Ukhov won the gold medal in the high jump at the 2012 Olympics in London. He has now been banned for four years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), according to Duncan Mackey of Inside the Games.

In all, 12 Russians face sanctions ranging from two to eight years from Friday's CAS ruling. With the Russian Athletics Federation currently serving a suspension with regards to the same state-sponsored doping findings as the 12 athletes were involved in, the disciplinary procedures for Russian athletes now fall to CAS.

Ukhov cleared 7-9.75 (2.38m) to win gold in London, finishing ahead of Erik Kynard. Ukhov still has an opportunity to appeal, but it appears likely Kynard will be upgraded to gold.

Ukhov's four-year ban began Friday. All of his performances dating back to July 16, 2012, have been annulled. He will also lose his silver medal from the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships.

This year, Ukhov had been the world leader, having cleared 7-7 (2.31m) in Russia last month.

Also among the remaining athletes who have been banned is Svetlana Shkolina, who won gold in the high jump at the 2013 IAAF World Outdoor Championships in Moscow. She also finished third at the 2012 Olympics. Both medals are likely to be stripped. Brigetta Barrett would be the recipient of the World Championships gold. Shkolina has been banned for four years.

2012 Olympic hammer throw champion Tatyana Lysenko has also been suspended, being given her second ban, this time for eight years. She previously served a suspension in 2008. Her medal had already been stripped following an Oct. 2016 retest by the IOC.

The other banned Russian athletes are Tatyana Firova (400/4x400 relay), Lyukman Adams (triple jump), Ana Bulgakova (hammer), Gulfiya Agafonova Khanafeeva (hammer), Ivan Yushkov (shot put), Mariya Bespalova (hammer), Vera Ganeeva (discus), Yekaterina Galitskaia (100-meter hurdles) and Yuliya Kondakova (100-meter hurdles).

Russia has now lost 15 medals from the 2012 Olympics, including five gold, eight silver and two bronze.

Much of the evidence used against the 12 Russian athletes came from an investigation led by Richard McLaren after the German television station ARD aired an investigative report accusing Russia of directing a state sponsored doping program for its international athletes. The report was centered on track and field athletes.