Valery Borchin rejected a return to racewalking ©Getty Images

Beijing 2008 Olympic racewalking champion Valery Borchin rejected a return to competition after serving an eight year doping ban.

Borchin, now 34, was handed an eight-year ban from October 15 2012 following irregularities in his biological passport, his second doping offence.

He had already served a one-year ban from 2005 for failing an in-competition drugs test for the banned stimulant ephedrine.

With his doping ban now expired, Borchin said he would not return to competitive racewalking, as reported by Russian state news agency TASS. 

As part of his sanction, Borchin had his results from July 14 2009 to September 15 2009, June 16 2011 to September 27 2011, and April 11 2012 to September 3 2012 annulled. 

The disqualified results included two world titles. 

Valery Borchin claimed Olympic gold at Beijing 2008 ©Getty Images
Valery Borchin claimed Olympic gold at Beijing 2008 ©Getty Images

Borchin was able to keep his Olympic gold medal, however, claimed in the 20 kilometre race walk event at Beijing 2008. 

More than 25 leading Russian walkers have been banned for doping violations in recent years, including two other Olympic champions.

London 2012 50 kilometres walk winner Sergey Kirdyapkin and Beijing 2008 women's 20km gold medallist and London 2012 silver medallist Olga Kaniskina have both been sanctioned. 

Sergei Bakulin, the 2011 world 50km champion, received an eight-year ban in August 2019, while 2011 world silver medallist Vladimir Kanaykin is now banned for life.