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Doping scandal in Russian sports

Russian famed high jumper Lasitskene says had to undergo nine doping tests this year

"Doping tests were carried out during my international competitions as well as during the out-of-competition periods," said the athlete

© EPA-EFE/VALENTIN FLAURAUD

MOSCOW, August 15. /TASS/. Russia’s Maria Lasitskene, the world and European champion in high jump, told TASS on Thursday that she had to undergo nine doping tests this year.

"This year, 12 doping samples were collected during my doping tests," Lasitskene said in an interview with TASS. "Doping tests were carried out during my international competitions as well as during the out-of-competition periods."

"There were times, when urine and blood samples were collected in a single visit of doping officers," Lasitskene stated. "On the whole, I was forced to undergo nine doping tests this year."

The athlete’s husband, Vladas Lasitskas announced in his Twitter account in May that in the first four months of this year doping control officers collected six urine samples, two blood samples for the Athlete Biological Passport and one general blood analysis sample from Maria Lasitskene, who won the 2019 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March.

The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) reported last week that since the start of the year national track and field athletes remained to be the most tested for banned performance enhancing drugs as compared to other sports.

The report stated that in the period between January and July included, a total number of 733 national track and field athletes underwent doping tests.

National weightlifters were the second most tested group (223 athletes) within the same period, according to last week’s report.

RUSADA inspectors also collected doping samples of 153 swimmers, 139 cross-country skiers and 98 biathletes.

Russian track and field athletes remain to be in a particular focus of RUSADA inspectors, since the All-Russia Athletics Federation (RusAF) is still trying to reinstate its membership status with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

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Doping scandal in Russian sports

Doping scandal in Russian sports

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