8 Russian doping cases head to CAS

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) The Court of Arbitration for Sport said Friday it will rule on eight doping cases involving Russian athletes while Russia remains suspended from global track and field.

The cases include new charges against former world heptathlon champion Tatyana Chernova and runners Kristina Ugarova and Yekaterina Sharmina.

CAS said it was taking over the cases from Russia's track and field federation because the national body is under suspension by the IAAF.

Chernova was previously banned in January 2015 after testing positive for a steroid, and the new case could lead to a lengthy ban and disqualification of some of her key results. The case involves biological passport rules covering suspicious blood values, which can cover years of an athlete's career.

The case against former European indoor 1,500-meter bronze medalist Sharmina was not previously known. Ugarova was separately recommended in November for a life ban by a World Anti-Doping Agency commission after she was allegedly recorded confessing to drug use.

The eight cases announced Friday also include five Russian race-walkers who tested positive on the same day last June at the national training center at Saransk. The WADA commission reported evidence that Russian coaches tried to obstruct and intimidate drug testers before the walkers were eventually found and tested.

Among the walkers are reigning European champion Elmira Alembekova and 2013 world championship silver medalist Mikhail Ryzhov.

The Russian track federation was suspended in November after a WADA commission's report detailed systematic, state-sponsored drug use.

CAS did not say when the eight cases would be heard.