Russian luge athletes who were banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for doping violations at the Sochi Games are not facing sanctions from the International Luge Federation, the federation has announced.
Tatyana Ivanova and Albert Demchenko won silver medals at the 2014 Olympics. They were banned for life from the Olympics by the IOC last month and ordered to return their Sochi medals, in some of the latest fallout from the doping scandal that has overshadowed Russia, which hosted the Sochi Games.
But the luge federation said after a meeting of its disciplinary commission that it was "unable to ascertain with full conviction" that the two Russia luge athletes were involved in doping.
The federation's decision against sanctions does not override the IOC's ruling when it comes to the Pyeongchang Games in South Korea next month. Both athletes will remain ineligible for credentials there.
Ivanova is still an active competitor at luge events and will be free to compete at a World Cup event on January 6 and 7 under the federation's decision. Demchenko has been coaching.
