Russian hammer thrower suspended for life over doping abuse

Russian hammer thrower Kirill Ikonnikov has been suspended for life from all sports-related activities for violating anti-doping regulations, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Wednesday.

"We have registered two positive doping tests over six months," Mutko told journalists. "One girl injected something into her nose, but her situation is likely to be resolved. Ikonnikov, meanwhile, has been banned for life," reports Tass.

Hammer-thrower Ikonnikov finished fifth at the 2012 Olympics in London. However, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) later requested to collect a doping sample from the Russian athlete.

The doping sample tested positive for banned steroid substance Oral Turinabol and Ikonnikov was handed a two-year suspension starting from November 2, 2012.

In line with the regulations, in case an athlete is caught taking performance enhancing drugs for the second time, then he or she is subject for a life suspension from all sports-related activities.

According to the minister, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office is investigating all doping-related cases involving national athletes and criminal probes are likely to be launched eventually.

"We are under some sort of a media attack," Mutko said. "However, the Prosecutor General's Office is investigating all facts and I believe it is possible that criminal probes are to follow."

Starting this year doping control in Russian sports has been exercised by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) strictly under the supervision of the British anti-doping agency (UKAD).

Russian sports has lately been in the centre of doping-related scandals.

--IANS

sam/vt