Olympics storm as Russians hit back over bans

The drugs scandal which has engulfed Russia's Olympic athletics team looks poised to cause the first major political conflict of the Games - seven days before the event even starts.

Following the suspension of seven of Russia's top track and field stars by world athletics' governing body, the IAAF, for allegedly using other people's urine when giving samples to testers, the accused athletes' coach has claimed the bans were politically motivated to help China's medal prospects in Beijing.

And Russia's anti-doping chief questioned why the announcement was made just a fortnight before the track events start.

Five of the suspended seven women, including middle distance star Yelena Soboleva who was favourite for the 800m and 1500m double which Kelly Holmes won in Athens, were genuine medal hopes.

Sergei Vasilyev, coach of the suspended athletes, told the Moscow Times: "This is pure politics. If these athletes, who are the main contenders for gold medals, are forced out of the games, the new favorites will be the Chinese."

He denied the IAAF's contention of "fradulent substitution of urine" following DNA analysis, insisting that it would have been almost impossible for the athletes to replace samples which, he insisted, were taken in the presence of anti-doping officials.