The Russian has been stripped of her bronze medal won at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics after being implicated in a "systemic manipulation" of the anti-doping system there and has been barred from next month's Games in Pyeongchang.

She remains eligible to compete in all IBSF events, however, after the world governing body's Anti-Doping Hearing Panel ruled against the introduction of provisional suspensions.

The IBSF appealed this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, but CAS announced today that they have no jurisdiction to interfere, leaving the athletes involved free to compete.

Nikitina has enjoyed victories so far this season at Park City and last time around in Igls.

This leaves her sixth in the World Cup standings in a list headed by Germany's Jacqueline Loelling. 

Elisabeth Vathje and Mirela Rahneva of Canada lie second and third.

The men's skeleton competition will also take place tomorrow at the Altenberg track, which is located around 40 kilometres south of Dresden and not far from the Czech border. 

South Korea's Yun Sungbin tops the overall standings after three victories so far this season alongside two second place finishes.

Martins Dukurs of Latvia, the winner last time around in Igls, is his closest rival and will be hoping to narrow the gap further.

Athletes from 24 countries are registered to appear at the event.

Male and female two-man races are scheduled for Saturday (January 6) before competition is due to conclude with a four-man event ending on Sunday (January 7).