According to Reuters, two Russian boxers serving doping suspensions have competed while banned, highlighting inconsistencies in Russia’s efforts to reform its anti-doping practices.

Competition records show that Russian amateur boxers Islam Dashaev and Alena Tokarchuk fought in official tournaments last year despite bans announced by Russian anti-doping agency RUSADA, which is forbidden under international anti-doping rules.

These lapses in the enforcement of their bans suggest that Russia, which said it has moved past its doping scandals, has yet to create an anti-doping culture in which all dopers are sidelined.

RUSADA said it had been unaware of the cases and said that it would investigate.

“We do not know the reasons why these suspended athletes took part in competitions that were held under the Russian Boxing Federation’s jurisdiction and with its support,” RUSADA Deputy Director General Margarita Pakhnotskaya said in a statement.

“The fact such athletes participated in competitions is alarming.”

Valery Karadutov, an official from the Russian Boxing Federation who oversaw one of the competitions and signed its results, said he had not been aware of the boxer’s ban.

Tatyana Kiriyenko, a deputy head of the federation, told TASS news agency that the two boxers took part in regional competitions.

“We have conducted an investigation, looked at the reports. These two athletes took part in competitions, they participated in one fight each,” she is quoted as saying by TASS.

Athletes serving doping bans are forbidden from participating in any capacity in competitions or activities related to elite sport, according to the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

If an athlete violates a doping ban, the duration of the suspension can be doubled.

WADA said it would follow up with RUSADA and “the relevant international federations” to ensure they are aware of the Reuters findings and that “the allegations are being dealt with appropriately.”

The Russian Boxing Federation said it was checking the cases identified, and the Russian Sports Ministry and the International Boxing Association (AIBA) did not reply to requests for comment.