Former world race walk champion Bakulin in new doping case

MONACO (AP) — Russian race walker Sergei Bakulin, who has previously been stripped of a world title for taking performance-enhancing drugs, has been accused of doping again.

Bakulin lost his 50-kilometer world title from 2011 when he was banned in 2015 because his blood passport data showed signs of doping.

The Athletics Integrity Unit, which handles doping cases in track and field, says he has been charged with the same offense and has been provisionally suspended pending a hearing.

Russia dominated race walking for years but almost all its top competitors have since been banned for doping.

Russians make up three of the seven doping suspensions issued this year by the AIU, including a charge against Bakulin’s former teammate, 2012 world junior walk champion Ekaterina Medvedeva.