IOC bans four Russian skeleton athletes for life over Sochi doping

FILE PHOTO - Feb. 15, 2010 - Canada - (100219) -- WHISTLER, Feb. 19, 2010 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Alexander Tretyakov competes during men's skeleton at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Whistler, Canada, Feb. 19, 2010. (Credit Image: © Xinhua/ZUMApress.com) Picture Supplied by Action Images

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Four Russian skeleton athletes, including Olympic champion Alexander Tretyakov, have been banned for life from the Olympics after being found guilty of doping at the 2014 Sochi Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Wednesday.

Tretyakov, Sochi bronze-medal winner Elena Nikitina, Maria Orlova and Olga Potylitsyna have been "found to have committed anti-doping rule violations," the IOC said in a statement.