Moscow, Russia -- The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued a life ban against doctor Sergei Portugalov, the alleged mastermind of doping in Russian track and field, Russia's athletics federation said Monday. "The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne has ruled on a life ban for Sergei Portugalov," the federation said in a statement. The agency said that Portugalov administered the doping programmes and "even injected athletes himself." Russia has been barred from international track and field competition, including the Rio Olympics, since November 2015 following the damning report presenting evidence of state-sponsored doping in the sport. Russian authorities have recognised the existence of doping in sport but vehemently deny any state complicity in athletes' use of performance enhancing drugs.

Source: The China Post March 13, 2017 22:04 UTC