UCI anti-doping tribunal ready to start work soon

SOCHI, Russia (AP) The International Cycling Union's new in-house anti-doping tribunal will hear its first cases in the coming weeks.

The tribunal is a key part of UCI president Brian Cookson's attempts to reform a sport long tainted by doping scandals.

It was recommended last year by an independent commission that was appointed to suggest measures to reform cycling in the wake of the Lance Armstrong scandal.

Cookson tells The Associated Press that ''we're anticipating the first cases to go to it in the next few weeks'' and that a shortlist of tribunal officials has been drawn up.

Adjudicators will be ''appointed case-by-case'' from a pool of qualified officials, he added.