The Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) has disqualified three athletes for four years and one athlete for two years for anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs), it announced yesterday. Hurdlers Andrei Gapon (Андрея Гапона) and Denis Chernyaev (Дениса Черняева) were sanctioned with a four year ban from 20 February 2018 for refusing to undergo a doping test. It is understood that the two athletes, who are both under 23, refused to be tested at the Russian u23 Championships, which took place 20-21 February in St. Petersburg.

Two Javelin throwers were also sanctioned with a ban. Igor Nikolaev (Егора Николаева) was sanctioned with a four year ban from 28 November 2017, after returning an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a prohibited substance. Alexei Tolokonnikov (Алексея Толоконникова) was sanctioned with a two year ban from 31 January 2018 after returning an AAF for a prohibited substance. All four disqualifications have been confirmed by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).