MOSCOW, July 31: International athletics’ ruling body IAAF temporarily suspended six Russian athletes after discovering DNA convergence in their samples given for dope testing last year, the head of Russian athletics federation Valentin Balakhnichev said Thursday.

“We received a letter from IAAF, which said six of our athletes — Yelena Soboleva, Daria Pishchalnikova, Gulfia Khanafeyeva, Tatiana Tomashova, Yulia Fomenko and Svetlana Cherkasova — were temporarily suspended,” Balakhnichev said.

“The reason of the suspension was the convergence of DNA in the samples that were given by the athletes for dope testing last year,” he added.

“The fact gave IAAF the reason to suspect our athletes in dope cheating and the right to suspend them.”

Balakhnichev added that five of the suspended athletes were already included in the country’s Beijing Olympics squad and were among the medal favourites of the upcoming Games.

“This IAAF decision dashes our athletes’ hopes to perform at Beijing,” Balakhnichev said.

Soboleva performed this season’s best results at 800 and 1,500-metre distances, while Pishchalnikova was leading the discus throwing this season.

Khanafeyeva produced this season’s fifth best result in hammer throwing, while Tomashova and Fomenko respectively pulled out the season’s second and seventh 1500 m results.—AFP