The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) says seven more top Russian weightlifters have been suspended and charged with doping offenses, taking this week's total to 12.
The IWF said the seven were Dmitry Lapikov, Chingiz Mogushkov, Adam Maligov, Magomed Abuyev, Maksim Sheiko, Nadezhda Evstyukhina, and Yulia Konovalova. Five of them are world and European medalists.
The seven face allegations stemming from World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) investigations into widespread drug use and cover-ups in Russia over the past decade.
Two of them, Lapikov and Evstyukhina, were previously stripped of medals they won at the 2008 Olympics after samples they gave tested positive.
"The IWF regrets these additional cases of doping in our sport," IWF President Tamas Ajan said in Budapest after the decision.
"We can be satisfied, however, that the IWF has shown once again our determination to protect clean sport and promote clean athletes," Ajan said in a statement. "We have not shown any hesitation in making the right decisions."
The latest move came after the IWF on August 13 suspended five other Russian weightlifters, citing "compelling evidence" that they had violated anti-doping rules.
They include former world champions Ruslan Albegov, who also won three Olympic bronze medals, and Tima Turiyeva. The others are double European champions Oleg Chen and David Bedzhanyan, as well as Igor Klimonov, who won silver at the European championship this year.
WADA has been analyzing an extensive archive of data obtained in January from the Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory in Moscow.
WADA has started handing over its results to sports federations, triggering multiple new charges.
Other sports federations have also started investigations based on the WADA evidence, with the International Biathlon Union banning in June two Russians -- Aleksandr Chernyshov and Aleksandr Pechyonkin -- for four years each.
WADA President Craig Reedie has said he expects more than 100 new doping cases to be brought across various Russian sports.
