Two Russian Olympic biathlon champions were suspected of doping

The International Biathlon Union (IBU) suspects four Russian athletes of doping - Evgeny Ustyugov, Svetlana Sleptsova, Alexander Pechenkin and Alexander Chernyshov.

Cases of possible doping, the IBU said in a statement, were opened after testing samples taken from athletes in 2012-2015.

Evgeny Ustyugov is a two-time Olympic champion (Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014), Svetlana Sleptsova also won gold at the Vancouver Olympics.

Ustyugov, Sleptsova and Chernyshov have already retired. Pechenkin is temporarily suspended from participation in competitions.

• that four more Russian biathletes were suspected of doping The IBU announced in August. The names of the athletes were not called then, although sources suggested that they were talking about Ustyugov, Sleptsova, Chernyshov and Pechenkin.
• Due to the disqualification of athletes who took illegal drugs, the Russian team lost 13 medals won at the home Olympics in Sochi.