The 37-year-old was sanctioned in March following the re-testing of samples using up-to-date technology. 

Taymazov's sample from the Chinese capital failed for banned steroids turinabol and stanozolol.

Reports that he had failed a test from Beijing first surfaced in August last year.

The men's 120 kilograms freestyle competitor had been a triple Olympic champion until losing his Beijing medal, after also winning the title at both Athens 2004 and London 2012.

No decision on his London gold has been announced with the IOC re-testing samples from both there and Beijing. 

"The Uzbekistani wrestler Artur Taymazov has filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the decision issued by the International Olympic Committee dated March 31, 2017 in which he was found, further to recent retesting of samples, to have committed an anti-doping rule violation (turinabol and stanozolol) during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games where he won the gold medal in the men's 120kg freestyle wrestling event," a CAS statement said.

"In his appeal to the CAS, Artur Taymazov seeks the annulment of the IOC decision.

"A CAS arbitration procedure is in progress. 

"First, the parties will exchange written submissions and a panel of three arbitrators will be constituted. 

"The panel will then issue directions with respect to the holding of a hearing.

"Following the hearing, the Panel will deliberate and at a later date, it will issue a decision in the form of an arbitral award."

Last year, Taymazov was elected to the Russian Duma as a member of the United Russia political party.

Russia's silver medallist Bakhtiyar Akhmedov is in line to be upgraded to Beijing 2008 gold.

David Musulbes of Slovakia will be awarded silver with Disney Rodríguez of Cuba now one of two bronze medallists alongside Marid Mutalimov of Kazakhstan.