MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS/. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) still proceeds with its investigations in regard to Russia’s titled race walker Elena Lashmanova over her alleged breach of suspension terms in December 2014, the press service of the world’s governing body of athletics told TASS on Monday.
Lashmanova, the 2012 London Olympics gold medalist in women’s 20 km walk and 2013 World Champion, was handed a two-year suspension after her blood test on January 4, 2014 proved positive for taking substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The doping suspension of the 24-year-old Russian race walker expired on February 25, 2016.
In a statement addressed to TASS on Monday the IAAF press service stated that since the suspension term expired "Lashmanova is eligible to compete in domestic competitions in Russia."
Early last year the IAAF announced it launched an investigation in regard to Lashmanova after news emerged that she allegedly competed in the regional winter tournament in the Russian republic of Mordovia on December 30, 2014, thus violating the terms of her suspension.
"Regarding her participation in a local competition in Mordovia, we have already confirmed many times that the IAAF is investigating a potential breach of IAAF anti-doping rules," the statement from IAAF said. "The investigation is still ongoing."
Pictures of Lashmanova competing in late December 2014 in the winter tournament in Mordovia appeared on FaceBook social network shortly after the competition and immediately drew attention of journalists.
The All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) announced to TASS earlier on Monday that Lashmanova along with three other titled race walkers, namely Olga Kaniskina, Sergey Kirdyapkin and Sergey Bakulin were enlisted in the Russian national team’s roster for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro on August 5-21.