CAS lifts doping bans of 28 Russian athletes

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The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has lifted the doping bans of 28 Russian athletes, which means that the cleared competitors have a chance of making it in time to the Winter Games seven days from now.

Seven gold medals from the 2014 Sochi Olympics have also been re-instated.

Last year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned 43 Russians for doping offenses committed at the last Olympics following the McLaren report, which claims to have uncovered a state-sponsored program.

Alexander Legkov celebrates in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. /VCG Photo‍

On Thursday, CAS ruled that there was "insufficient" evidence that the athletes had benefited from a system of state-sponsored doping. The cleared 28, which includes Sochi cross-country gold medalist Alexander Legkov, are now eligible to compete in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics starting next week, but their participation is uncertain.

IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said: “The result of the CAS decision does not mean that athletes from the group of 28 will be invited to the Games. Not being sanctioned does not automatically confer the privilege of an invitation.”

Eleven more, who were found guilty of doping offences by the IOC two months ago, had their lifetime bans cut to just exclusion from the PyeongChang Games.