• FILE - In this Feb. 15, 2014, file photo, men's 1,000-meter short track speedskating gold medalist Viktor Ahn, of Russia, gestures while holding his medal during the medals ceremony at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The Russian Olympic Committee says Ahn, a six-time Olympic gold medalist, is among several top Russian athletes barred from the upcoming Pyeongchang Olympics amid the country’s ongoing doping scandal. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) Photo: David J. Phillip / Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Photo: David J. Phillip
Image 1of/1

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 1
FILE - In this Feb. 15, 2014, file photo, men's 1,000-meter short track speedskating gold medalist Viktor Ahn, of Russia, gestures while holding his medal during the medals ceremony at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The Russian Olympic Committee says Ahn, a six-time Olympic gold medalist, is among several top Russian athletes barred from the upcoming Pyeongchang Olympics amid the country’s ongoing doping scandal. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) less
FILE - In this Feb. 15, 2014, file photo, men's 1,000-meter short track speedskating gold medalist Viktor Ahn, of Russia, gestures while holding his medal during the medals ceremony at the Winter Olympics in ... more
Photo: David J. Phillip

More bans for Russia in upcoming Olympics

MOSCOW — Several of Russia's top medal hopes for next month's Olympics, including six-time short-track speedskating gold medalist Viktor Ahn, have been barred from the Pyeongchang Games amid the country's ongoing doping scandal. Already depleted by doping bans and forced to compete under a neutral flag, Russia now faces an Olympics without some of its top skiers, figure skaters and sliders after they failed to pass International Olympic Committee vetting. Five hockey players have also been barred, including former NHL players Sergei Plotnikov, Valeri Nichushkin and Anton Belov.

More Olympics: Two cities in the Austrian province of Styria are exploring the possibility of hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics, three months after a potential bid from Innsbruck was rejected by inhabitants of Tyrol. Graz and Schladming are working on a financial plan to be presented in March, followed by a feasibility study and an infrastructural concept in June. Schladming Mayor Jurgen Winter said no referendum would be held. In October, Innsbruck dropped plans to bid for the 2026 Olympics after more than 53 percent of the citizens in Tyrol voted against it. Candidate host cities for 2026 must send a letter of intent to the IOC by the end of March and present their final concept in September. Hosting rights will be awarded in 2019.

College football: Oklahoma running back Abdul Adams has transferred to Syracuse. He'll sit out next season due to transfer rules and have two seasons of eligibility left. The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder played in 19 games at Oklahoma, rushing for 825 yards and a TD and catching eight passes for 103 yards. ... UCLA head coach Chip Kelly added Dana Bible as quarterbacks coach. Roy Manning will coach special teams and outside linebackers. Vince Oghobaase will coach the defensive line. Receivers coach Jimmie Dougherty, running backs coach DeShaun Foster, offensive line coach Hank Fraley and tight ends coach Angus McClure return.

— Wire reports