CAS wraps up Russian doping appeals

Sport's top court on Saturday wrapped up the process of examining appeals by 39 Russians banned for life by the International Olympic Committee.

Since Monday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has been hearing appeals from 39 of the 42 athletes banned in relation to Russian state-sponsored doping during the last Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Decisions are expected by next Friday, at the latest.

One of the last athletes to have his appeal heard on Saturday was double Olympic bobsleigh champion Alexander Zubkov, CAS said.

Zubkov has since retired, but as president of the Russian Bobsleigh Federation he will be banned from the Pyeongchang Games starting on February 9 unless his sanction is overturned.

Russia has been entirely banned from the Winter Olympics, although individual athletes are allowed to compete under a neutral banner provided they pass stringent anti-doping tests.

Russia's Olympic Committee said on Thursday that 169 such athletes had been cleared to compete but one of the highest profile ones to be barred is six-time Olympic short track speed skating champion Victor An.