Nine Russian bobsleigh and skeleton athletes have had their provisional suspensions lifted ©Getty Images

Provisional suspensions of nine Russian bobsleigh and skeleton athletes sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have been lifted after a hearing panel ruled there was "not sufficient evidence" to keep the bans in place.

The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) Hearing Panel urged the IOC Disciplinary Commission to provide them with full reasoned decisions on all nine athletes implicated in alleged doping at Sochi 2014 "in order to potentially re-consider the position of the individual athletes and officials".

The athletes, including double Sochi 2014 gold medallist Alexander Zubkov and men's Olympic skeleton champion Alexander Tretiakov, have been stripped of their medals and results and banned from competing at the Olympic Games for life.

Tretiakov and Elena Nikitina, Olympic bronze medallist in women's skeleton at Sochi 2014, were banned from competing at the IBSF World Cup in Whistler last weekend after they were sanctioned by the Commission.

Alexander Kasjanov, Aleksei Pushkarev and Ilvir Khuzin, who had been in line to be upgraded to bronze from their home Olympics following the disqualification of the victorious four-man team, won the four man event in Whistler along with Vasiliy Kondratenko despite being under investigation by the IOC Disciplinary Commission

The trio were then officially disqualified and banned from the Olympics for life by the Commission, chaired by IOC Executive Board member Denis Oswald, earlier this week.

Zubkov, Aleksei Negodailo and Dmitrii Trunenkov, stripped of their Olympic gold medal in the four-man, were provisionally suspended by the IBSF on Wednesday (November 29).

Alexander Kasjanov, Aleksei Pushkarev and Ilvir Khuzin were part of the four-man team which claimed victory in Whistler despite being under investigation for alleged doping ©IBSF
Alexander Kasjanov, Aleksei Pushkarev and Ilvir Khuzin were part of the four-man team which claimed victory in Whistler despite being under investigation for alleged doping ©IBSF

Olga Potylitsyna and Maria Orlova, fifth and sixth in the women's skeleton at Sochi 2014, bobsledder Olga Stulneva, skeleton athlete Sergei Chudinov, Kasjanov, Pushkarev and Khuzin were also provisionally suspended.

They have therefore been cleared to compete pending possible further sanctions from the IBSF.

The IBSF had confirmed all nine athletes would have the right to a provisional hearing to discuss the suspensions.

They all attended hearings in front of the IBSF Panel.

Zubkov, Chudinov, Negodailo, Trunenkov and Stulneva have all retired but the bans imposed by the IBSF had meant they were unable to attend events in any capacity, including as coaches or as officials.

This would have impacted most on Zubkov, President of the Russian Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation and appeared at the World Cup in Whistler.

The first IOC Disciplinary Commission reasoned decision on a Russian bobsleigh and skeleton athlete, however, could lead to the IBSF taking additional action.

The International Ski Federation provisionally suspended six cross-country skiers based on the reasoned decision regarding one athlete, Sochi 2014 gold and silver medallist Alexander Legkov.

The governing body said they had all "participated in a similar manner in the systematic conspiracy" of alleged doping at Sochi 2014.

The IOC's reasoned decision on Legkov is thought to be crucial.

It showed the IOC supported the evidence in the McLaren Report, dismissed criticism over the report's findings and backed former Moscow Laboratory director Grigory Rodchenkov, the main source for the allegations, as a "reliable witness".

More follows