The Olympic Games have been hit by a doping scandal today with just days to go before the opening ceremony.

Two of Russia's speed walkers have been thrown out of the competition after testing positive for the banned drug EPO.

Vladimir Kanaikin and Valery Borchin were ejected from the team after failing dope tests

Another Russian race walker Alexei Voevodin, who did not qualify for Beijing, also tested positive.

Coach Viktor Chegin said: "The test were taken in an out-of-competition here at home in Saransk on April 20.

"It showed traces of EPO in the blood of my athletes."

The International Olympic committee plans to carry out more than 4,000 tests during the Beijing Games to crack down on drug-taking.