MOSCOW (AP) Three Olympic champion race-walkers have returned to the Russian national team after serving doping bans as part of Russian track and field's drug scandal.
Sergei Kirdyapkin, Olga Kaniskina and Elena Lashmanova are all named in an updated team list on the Russian Sports Ministry website, meaning they could compete at the Olympics in August if the Russian team's suspension from global track and field is lifted in time.
Russia had previously avoided picking athletes who had served doping bans as it tries to rebuild its reputation following its suspension in November by the IAAF following allegations of systematic doping.
Kirdyapkin last month lost his Olympic gold medal in the 50-kilometer walk when the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled his doping sanction was too lenient. Kaniskina lost a silver medal.
