IOC opens doping cases into 28 Russian Olympic athletes

By Fatih Erel

GENEVA (AA) – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Friday opened disciplinary proceedings against 28 Russian athletes after finding evidence their urine samples from the 2014 Winter Olympics had been manipulated.

IOC announced its decision following the publication of a completed World Anti-Doping Agency Independent Person (IP) report on Dec. 9.

"The IOC is initiating disciplinary cases against all 28 athletes for whom there is evidence of manipulation of one or more of their urine samples that were collected at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014, as detailed in the IP report earlier in December," the IOC said.

It will also re-examine samples from all Russian athletes who took part in the Sochi Winter Games and the Summer Olympics in London 2012.

The IOC has sanctioned 27 Russian athletes so far as the result of a previous re-analysis program for the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008 and London 2012.