The Russian athlete beat Loughnane into second-place in Berlin at the World Athletics Championships in August 2009, but following the provisional suspension of five athletes announced today by the IAAF, Loughnane is in line to have her medal upgraded from silver to gold.

The periods that RUSADA want Kaniskina's results annulled include those from July 15 - September 16, 2009. The World Championship 20k race was held on August 16th 2009.

Also provisionally banned is Olympic 2012 men's 50k champion Sergei Kirdyapkin, in a race where Rob Heffernan finished fourth. The Russian Anti-Doping Association has cancelled a number of Kirdyapkin's results, but the 2012 Olympic Games is not one of them.

At London 2012, Heffernan finished fourth with Australian Jared Tallent finishing second behind Kirdyapkin, with China's Si Tianfeng third.

Sergei Bakulin has also had a number of results eliminated, but his third place in the 2010 European 50k also survives, meaning Heffernan's fourth-place remains here also.

Heffernan late last year earned an additional medal to his 2013 World Championship over 50km, when his fourth place over 20k at the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona got upgraded to a bronze when race winner Stanislav Emelyanov was stripped of the title last year.

Along with Kaniskina, the other 2008 champion over 20k, Valery Borchin has also been suspended.

An IAAF spokesman gave the names of five provisionally suspended Russian walk athletes to the Associated Press news agency this afternoon.

An Athletics Ireland spokesperson said this evening that "We have put a request to the IAAF for an official response. They have reverted to say the process is in hand and won't be making further comment at this time."

Olympic champion Elena Lashmanova was banned last year, but retained her gold medal from London.

The RUSADA press release from this afternoon reads -

Russian Anti-Doping Agency "RUSADA" based on the decisions of the Disciplinary Committee of the Anti-Doping decided disqualified for doping rule violation, as expressed in the use of prohibited substances and (or) a prohibited method, the following athletes:

Kaniskina Olga for three years and two months from 15.10.2012, with the cancellation of the results for the period: July 15, 2009 - September 16, 2009, 30 July 2011 - 08 November 2011.

Sergei Kirdyapkin for three years and two months from 15.10.2012, with the cancellation of the results of the July 20, 2009 - September 20, 2009, June 29, 2010 - August 29, 2010 December 17, 2011 - June 11, 2012.

Bakulin Sergei three years and two months from 24.12.2012 to the cancellation of the results for the period: January 25, 2011 - March 25, 2011, June 16, 2011 - August 16, 2011, April 11, 2012 - June 11, 2012.

Borchin Valery eight years from 15.10.2012, with the cancellation of the results for the period: July 14, 2009 - September 15, 2009, June 16, 2011 - September 27, 2011, April 11, 2012 - September 3, 2012.

Kanaikina Vladimir life from 17.12.2012 to the cancellation of results for the period January 25, 2011 - March 25, 2011, June 16, 2011 - September 27, 2011.

Doping rule violation has been established on the basis of abnormal performance hematological profile athletes in the framework of the biological passport of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).