Cycling: Russia to challenge Hamilton doping decision

MOSCOW - Russia is to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after American cyclist Tyler Hamilton was last week cleared of doping violations by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Hamilton twice tested positive for a blood transfusion, first in Athens on August 18 after winning the Olympic time trial gold medal and then after his victory in a time trial in this month's Tour of Spain.

However, the IOC said the result of the B sample in Athens was "non-conclusive" because the sample had been destroyed by being deep-frozen.

Hamilton would have lost his gold medal if his B test was positive with Russia's Vyacheslav Ekimov, who won the event at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 but was second in Athens, being promoted to gold.