NEW ALLEGATIONS OF doping against a number of Russian race walkers could result in Olive Loughnane being awarded a retrospective World Championship gold medal and Rob Heffernan picking up a bronze from the 2012 London Olympics.
The IAAF today confirmed that five Russian race walkers – including three Olympic champions – have been provisionally suspended as they continue their investigation into doping in athletics in Russia.
Among those provisionally banned is Olga Kaniskina, winner of the women’s 20km gold at both the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and 2009 World Championships in Berlin. Loughnane finished second in the latter but, as Kaniskina may well be stripped of those titles as part of any long term ban, the now retired Loughnane could soon be upgraded to gold.
Heffernan finished fourth behind eventual winner Sergey Kirdyapkin in the 50km race at London 2012 but, should Kirdyapkin’s provisional ban be upheld – and implemented retrospectively – the Corkman would automatically be upgraded to a bronze medal.
This is nothing new for Heffernan who last month was upgraded to bronze at the 2010 European Championships after the Russian gold medal winner – Stanislav Emelyanov - was banned retrospectively.
Should all bans be upheld, it would mean that 16 of the last 17 gold medals awarded to Russian race walkers at the Olympics and World Championships were won by athletes who have been banned for doping or who are currently under investigation for the same.
