Weighing in at 19st 11lbs for his first fight with Joshua, Ruiz stunned the world by dropping the Brit and his chiseled physique to the canvas a staggering four times before getting the stoppage in June.

It follows an investigation into the data handed over by the Moscow laboratory in January as part of the reintegration process of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency following the state-sponsored doping scandal.

Dillian Whyte should be immediately reinstated as mandatory challenger for the WBC heavyweight title after being cleared of doping, according to promoter Eddie Hearn. 

Russia have been banned from the world's top sporting events for four years, including next summer's Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Qatar World Cup, for tampering with doping tests.

British Olympic chiefs have called for even tougher sanctions against Russia to prevent their athletes competing as neutrals in Tokyo next year.

A doctor who worked for Manchester City and Bury has been charged by the FA with breaching anti-doping rules. Dr Andrew Johnson is alleged to have provided 'fraudulent information'.

He was charged by the FA in October with providing fraudulent information regarding an application for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for a Bury player on December 1, 2018.

Two-time London marathon winner Kenyan Wilson Kipsang has been provisionally suspended for whereabouts failures and tampering with samples, the Athletics Integrity Unit revealed.

ROB DRAPER AND PETER ALLEN IN PARIS: A criminal trial will start on Monday with some huge names on the International Olympic Committee sweating to see if they are named in court.

A courtroom battle billed as sport's trial of the century is set to start in Paris on Monday. Lamine Diack and six others will stand trial accused of conspiring to cover up positive drugs tests

The trial of Lamine Diack, the former president of World Athletics, has been adjourned until June and the 86-year-old's request to return from Senegal has been refused.

MIKE KEEGAN IN PARIS: World Athletics is to sue Lamine Diack and his co-defendants for £35million. The ex-head of the sport's governing body, formerly known as the IAAF, was in a Paris court on Monday.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: The ECB already conduct more drugs tests than any other domestic board, with more than 350 taking place last summer, and even more due to occur this summer.

UK anti-doping have dug their heels in over the possible retesting of Sir Mo Farah's drug samples, insisting they would comply only once provided with 'credible' evidence.

Tebas has previously accused Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain of 'ruining the entire system' and called for them to be thrown out of European competition.

Former athlete Ari Lambie, who worked under disgraced coach Alberto Salazar, has spoken out about the mental and physical pain she went through during her time with him.

RIATH Al-SAMARRAI: Sir Mo Farah could face investigation by UK Anti-Doping agency after it emerged he changed his story when talking to investigators about injections he received.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: Russia has asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport for more time to prepare an appeal against their four-year ban from international sport.

Chinese swimmer Sun Yang has been banned for eight years. The Court of Arbitration for Sport found the three-time Olympic champion guilty of refusing to cooperate with sample collectors.

Boyle, a vocal activist for clean sport, has said Horton deserves the 2019 South Korea world championships gold medal after Sun Yang was hit with an eight year ban for his second doping offence.

EXCLUSIVE: Distance runner Andy Vernon, twice a European medallist for Britain, has revealed he rejected a thyroid screening as he felt it was a 'grey area.'

The World Anti-Doping Agency are expected to order a ban on Russian athletes competing at the Olympics as well as preventing them from hosting or competing in major international events.

RIATH AL-SAMARRAI: UKAD have launched an attack on UK Athletics over their failure to share information relating to Sir Mo Farah's former coach Alberto Salazar in 2015 - calling for full disclosure.

Another wave of Russian athletes could face new doping charges after the World Anti-Doping Agency said on Thursday that it has completed its investigation of a vast trove of evidence.

Liverpool's Takumi Minamino says former Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa convinced him to move to Anfield and join up with manager Jurgen Klopp.

Timo Werner is understood to be a target for Liverpool as they look to rejuvenate their squad in the summer window, although he is also coveted by a number of the top teams in Europe.

Liverpool are striving to become only the second team in Premier League history to go a season unbeaten, but their next opponents Watford are focussed on fighting for their lives at the bottom.

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet insists he has no regrets about leaving Anfield even though it's meant losing out on a certain Premier League title winners medal.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted he didn't see his side's unbeaten run coming to an end against Watford after their shock 3-0 defeat on Saturday but says they deserved to lose.

OLIVER HOLT AT VICARAGE ROAD - The season's biggest upset was served up here before us, as Jurgen Klopp's high-flying Liverpool lost their unbeaten record at the hands of Watford.

Recent defeats to Atletico Madrid and Watford have checked Liverpool's momentum. Now Jurgen Klopp's side face a defining week of three matches across three competitions.

Andy Robertson has issued an apology to Liverpool fans as their hopes of an Invincibles season vanished after their shock 3-0 defeat against Watford.

Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool are ready to 'strike back' on the road to Wembley and says he would be an 'idiot' if he doubted the character of his players.

Jurgen Klopp's side set the standard this campaign and yet defeat at Stamford Bridge saw them go another game without scoring and making it eight goals conceded in their last four.

SAMI MOKBEL AT STAMFORD BRIDGE: Klopp made seven changes from the side that lost to Watford on Saturday - and included youngsters Neco Williams and Curtis Jones in side.

Willian's effort from the edge of the area slipped from Adrian's grasp and into the side of the net after only 13 minutes of their FA Cup encounter at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke has dismissed the notion that Liverpool's poor run of form gives his side the edge ahead of their Champions League last-16 tie at Anfield.

It has been a remarkable season for Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp's dominant Reds easing their way towards the Premier League title - but who will win the big prizes at the prestigious PFA Awards?

England midfielder Henderson has been out since injuring a hamstring in the first leg three weeks ago but trained on Sunday and Monday and is available to take his place in the Liverpool squad.

As Klopp made his way from the tunnel, fans stretched our their hands for high-fives. Klopp reacted angrily and moved away from them before shouting: 'Put your hands away you f****** idiots'.

PETE JENSON IN SPAIN: Wednesday night will go down as one of the greatest nights in Atletico's history and when it's recalled among the club's supporters not too many will remember the critics.

PETE JENSON IN SPAIN: No-one needed to tell Jurgen Klopp about Jan Oblak before Wednesday night's performance. Liverpool were one of the clubs interested in signing him in 2018.

The former Tottenham Hotspur right-back has been revitalised by his move to La Liga and he was outstanding in Atletico's 3-2 win over Liverpool.

MARTIN SAMUEL CHIEF SPORTS WRITER - We have got a few weeks to ourselves now, it seems. So time for a think. The self-isolation of COVID-19 is the chance to consider where the game is going.

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders believes the impossible pursuit of perfection has driven the club to their current position as the Premier League's best and has hailed Jurgen Klopp.

It has long been expected that the Reds icon would be an automatic pick to take the reins at Anfield when the German finally decides to call an end to his time in charge on Merseyside.

It had been the club's intention to move to the new state-of-the-art base at the beginning of July that would enable the first team and the Academy to be on one site but that plan has now put on hold.

Sevilla 'are preparing to swoop for Liverpool's Xherdan Shaqiri' after the Anfield club said he could leave. The 28-year-old Swiss winger has found game time extremely limited this season.

Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey believes Jurgen Klopp will 'get his teeth stuck into' RB Leipzig star Timo Werner in the summer transfer window.

According to Sport, the Catalan giants have run out of patience with injury-plagued Frenchman which could lead Liverpool to make a £80m bid for him once the transfer window reopens.