The Russian athletics federation (VFLA) has banned race-walker Tatyana Akulinushkina for four years for her second anti-doping rule violation, after she tested positive for furosemide on 20 February 2015 at a training camp in Sochi. Furosemide is prohibited under section S5 of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Prohibited List, diuretics and masking agents. Akulinushkina was coached by Viktor Chegin, a Russian race-walking coach who is currently under investigation by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in connection to alleged doping.

‘On the basis of the documents received from RUSADA [Russia’s Anti-Doping Agency] and in accordance with paragraph 32.2(a) and 40.8(a)(iii) of the IAAF Anti-Doping Rules, Tatyana Akulinushkina has been issues with a disciplinary sanction of four years (from 2 March 2015 to 1 March 2019)’, read a statement from the VFLA. The sanction was confirmed by RUSADA.

Akulinushkina’s positive test came after a six-month ban for using fenoterol, a medication used to treat asthma that opens airways to the lungs, which expired in January 2014. Akulinushkina tested positive for fenoterol at the Russian race-walking championships in Cheboksary, which took place on 8 June 2013.

A total of eight Russian race-walkers coached by Viktor Chegin have been banned since the start of this year. Chegin was fired by the VFLA in 2014, after an investigation by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) implicated a Mordovian race-walking centre named after him in a doping case.

In January, five Russian race walkers were disqualified for doping by RUSADA, all of which were coached by Chegin. The disqualifications stemmed from an investigation into the Mordovian race-walking centre, where Chegin (pictured) is still listed as head coach. Since then, two more race walkers coached by Chegin have been disqualified.