Russia bans 5 athletes in new doping cases

The Russian athletics federation has suspended five athletes, including a top marathon runner and an Olympic hammer throw finalist, just days before the publication of a major report into Russian doping.

Marathon runner Maria Konovalova received a two-year ban and was stripped of results going back to 2009. She finished second at the Chicago Marathon in 2010 and third in 2013.

The Russian federation said she was suspended based on irregularities in her biological passport, which monitored an athlete's blood profile for evidence of doping.

Hammer thrower Maria Bespalova, who finished 11th at the 2012 London Olympics, was banned for four years after testing positive for a steroid.

Also banned were race-walker Evgeny Nushtaev and runners Vlas Bredikhin and Yaroslav Khlopov.

On Monday, the World Anti-Doping Agency is scheduled to publish a report on its investigation into allegations of systematic doping in Russian athletics.