Olympic champion high jumper from Russia among suspected dopers, report says

Anna Chicherova, a two-time Olympic medalist in the high jump, is among 14 Russian athletes now suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs during the 2008 Beijing Games, according to a Russian media report.

Chicherova and her teammates reportedly had their stored samples re-tested as part of a recent International Olympic Committee crackdown that found 31 positive samples.

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The IOC has yet to identify the alleged cheaters other than to say they represented 12 different countries. The Tass news agencycited an unidentified Russian Olympic Committee official and Chicherova’s coach, Yevgeniy Zagorulko, in its Tuesday report.

“So far, this is at the development stage and this has not yet been finally confirmed,” Zagorulko was quoted as saying. “But all are aware of this and are dealing with the issue.”

Most of the suspected Russian athletes competed in track and field, Tass reported. Chicherova won bronze in 2008 and took the gold at the 2012 London Games.

The IOC is now using new technology to re-examine more than 450 samples from Beijing and an additional batch from London.

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Officials are targeting athletes who competed in past Olympics and appear likely to qualify for the upcoming 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Russia has come under particular scrutiny after a World Anti-Doping Agency investigation and numerous media reports have alleged widespread cheating in that country. The Russian track and field team was recently banned from international competition.

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