Russian biathlon team facing doping probe

Members of Russia’s biathlon team are being investigated over alleged doping offences at the 2017 World Championships in the Austrian town of Hochfilzen. Russian biathletes were among those disqualified from the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 for being part of a state-sponsored doping programme. The scandal led directly to the McLaren report, which found that from 2011 to 2015 more than 1,000 Russian athletes across several sports benefited from a cover-up. Austrian anti-corruption prosecutors confirmed in a statement that preliminary proceedings have been launched against five biathletes for “serious deception in connection with doping” at last year’s championships.