Caster's golds on hold as Savinova appeals doping ban

Lausanne - Russian runner Mariya Savinova has been given a date to appeal against her 4-year doping ban and being stripped of the 2012 Olympic 800m title she won ahead of Caster Semenya.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said Savinova's appeal against the IAAF and the Russian track federation will be heard on December 4.

A verdict should follow within weeks.

Savinova, now 32, was not caught in Olympic re-testing. In 2014, she was filmed talking about using steroids to a whistleblower in a German television documentary that exposed Russian doping.

Savinova's blood samples were re-analysed and she was stripped of results for three years, including her 2011 world title and 2012 London Olympics gold medal.

Semenya was runner-up in both races and is in line to be awarded both titles.