Russia bans four athletes for doping

Former European 800m silver medallist Irina Maracheva has been banned for two years for doping by the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).

Race walker Anna Lukyanova has also been given a two-year ban, while there are four-year bans for runners Maria Nikolaeva and Elena Nikulina.

The sanctions were the first handed down by the ROC since Russia was banned from athletics competition in November.

Further details about the bans have not been made public.

Russia is currently dealing with the fallout of a damaging report that made allegations of state-sponsored doping in the country.

The IAAF, which governs world athletics, provisionally suspended Russia from international competition in November.

Russia will only be reinstated if it fulfils strict criteria, including compliance with all World Anti-Doping Agency and IAAF anti-doping rules.

An IAAF inspection team is due to meet Russia`s new athletics chief, Dmitry Shlyakhtin, in Moscow on Monday. -BBC