MOSCOW, April 27. /TASS/. The International Testing Agency (ITA) has ruled to suspend nine Russian wrestlers for a two-year period citing the abuse of prohibited substances, the ITA’s press office said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement reads that: "The cases are based on investigations conducted by WADA’s Intelligence and Investigations Department (WADA I&I) and by Professor Richard McLaren into allegations of systemic doping practices in Russian sport as well as Moscow Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) data retrieved by WADA I&I over time."

"The ITA reports that in line with the UWW Anti-Doping Rules.., the following Russian wrestlers have each admitted to the Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) and accepted a two-year period of Ineligibility for the Use of a Prohibited Substance," the statement from ITA reads.

Among the mentioned Russians on the new ITA sanctions list are female athletes Darya Leksina, Yelena Vostrikova, Margarita Fatkulina, Yelena Getta, Anzhela Katayeva, Yelena Kulikova, Alevtina Lisitsyna and Anastasiya Shchavlianskaya as well as Russia’s male fighter Alexei Shchekov.

"During the period of ineligibility, as per Article 10.14 of the UWW ADR, the athletes cannot participate in any capacity in any competition or any other activity either at the international or national level organized by any Signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code," the statement from the ITA added.