Russian cross-country skier Alexander Legkov speaks during a news conference after rejecting claims that Russian athletes who competed at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics were part of a state-run doping program, in Moscow, Russia, May 13, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin Picture Supplied by Action Images
BERLIN (Reuters) - Russia's cross country gold medallist Alexander Legkov and compatriot Evgeniy Belov were banned from the Olympics for life on Wednesday over doping at the Sochi 2014 winter Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said.
The two athletes were the first Russians to be sanctioned for anti-doping rule violations following an IOC investigation into allegations of widespread doping among Russians and sample tampering by lab and security officials to give them the edge.
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