Russian Biathlon Union accepts €100,000 fine imposed after three failed drugs tests

Ekaterina Iourieva, world champion in 2008, is among the three Russians to have failed tests ©Getty Images

Russia's national governing body has accepted a €100,000 (£70,000/$106,000) fine for inflicting "serious damage to the interests and the reputation" of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) after three failed doping tests in recent months.

Ekaterina Iourieva and Irina Starykh each failed tests for erythropoietin (EPO) in the build-up to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

Starykh, who was withdrawn from the Olympic team as a result of her failure, was handed a two-year ban, while 2008 world champion Iourieva retired rather than face a life ban following the second positive of her career.

Alexander Loginov was handed a two-year ban in November 2014 after re-analysis of samples taken the previous year also showed traces of EPO.

The fine, based on the IBU Anti-Doping and Disciplinary Rules, was imposed following an Executive Board Meeting in Vienna.

Irina Starykh failed a tests soon before the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics ©Getty Images — Irina Starykh failed a test soon before the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics ©Getty Images

It was the maximum possible financial sanction provisioned, and follows a similar €50.000 (£35,000/$53,000) fine imposed on the Russian Biathlon Union (RBU) in 2009.

That followed Iourieva's first failure, as well others by double world champion Dmitri Yaroshenko and five-time Olympic medalist Albina Akhatova, an Olympic gold medallist at Turin 2006.

RBU spokesperson Ivan Tugarin told Associated Press that the organisation "has no reason and no intention to appeal" the latest fine.

The news comes amid growing concerns over doping at the Sochi 2014 Olympics following the publication of the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) Independent Commission Report, which claimed the Russian FSB secret police were involved in the the drug testing process, including in the temporary laboratory in Sochi used for the duration of the Games.

Commission chair Richard Pound said he does "not think we can be confident there was no manipulation of results at Sochi 2014".

Suspicions have been particularly high in biathlon and cross country skiing, endurance sports which Pound claimed have "a lot of doping problems, and not just from Russians".

Norwegian Para-biathlete and cross country skier Nils-Erik Ulset claimed earlier this week that Russians at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympics undertook doping tests in different rooms to athletes from other countries, and were only held for three-to four minute intervals.