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Russia stars are banned for doping
31.07.08
Yelana Soboleva, the world 1500 metres indoor champion and top-ranked runner over that distance and 800m this year, was one of seven Russian athletes banned today for doping offences.
Five of the seven - middle distance runners Soboleva, Tatyana Tomashova and Yulia Fomenko, European discus champion Darya Pishchalnikova and hammer thrower Gulfiya Khanafeyeva - were all due to compete at the Beijing Olympics.
Tomashova was world champion in 2003 and 2005 and silver medalist at the Athens Olympics, while Fomenko finished second at this year's world indoors.
The seven have been charged under IAAF rules for a "fraudulent substitution of urine" which is a form of tampering with the dope testing. The athletes have up to 14 days in which to appeal.
