Sports Court Bans Russian Athletics Coach For Doping Offenses

Vladimir Mokhnev had trained a number of top Russian athletes, including doping whistleblower Yulia Stepanova (pictured, file photo)

World sport's highest arbitration court has banned a Russian athletics coach for 10 years for doping-related offenses.

The Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport handed down its ruling against Vladimir Mokhnev on December 23.

The court said Mokhnev violated international track-and-field rules regarding banned substances.

It also said Mokhnev had trained a number of elite Russian athletes, including Yulia Stepanova.

Stepanova and her husband helped expose a multiyear, state-run doping regime that sought to enhance Russian athletes' performance while hiding their urine tests from detection.

Her revelations led to a damning report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, and the banning of Russia's entire athletics team from this summer's Rio Games.

It was unclear if Mokhnev had issued any response to the court's decision.

The court also banned Anastasiya Bazdyreva, a Russian 800-meter runner for two years for using prohibited substances.