The International Rowing Federation (FISA) continued its punishment of the Russian rowing team on Tuesday by suspending its officials for one year after seven rowers were caught using banned substances over a 12-month period.

The penalty handed down by FISA means all administrators, coaches and medical personnel of the Russian rowing federation are barred from attending any competitions or meetings.

FISA said it was in talks with the IOC and the Russian national Olympic committee to see whether the punishment will apply to this summer's Beijing Olympics.

FISA will offer no invitations or accreditations to events, and Russian officials will not be allowed to take part in the FISA congress — a governing body that controls what the federation does.

The Russian rowing federation was also fined $68,000 US and will have to compensate FISA for all costs, estimated to be $45,000, resulting from the doping cases and hearings.

FISA rules mandate that national federations face heavy penalties if seven of their athletes commit doping offences during a 12-month period.

Alexander Litvintchev, Evgeny Luzyanin and Ivan Podshivalov were given two-year bans on Jan. 17 for using prohibited intravenous injections during last year's world rowing championships.

All three suspensions are retroactive to last Aug. 27. Three other Russian rowers — Vladimir Varfolomeev, Denis Moiseev and Svetlana Fedorova — were banned in August for using the same doping method.

In July 2006, Olga Samulenkova tested positive and was stripped of gold medals from the world championships and also received a two-year ban.

Officials investigated the athletes by using DNA analysis of blood after parts of intravenous infusion equipment were found in a garbage bin outside the Russian team's hotel in July.

"We hope that this is a clear message that the sport of rowing will not accept use of substances or methods that create unfair conditions and/or threaten the health of our rowers," FISA chief Matt Smith said.

FISA has accused the Russian federation of "a lack of co-operation" and "provision of contradictory, inconsistent and deceptive explanations."

With files form the Associated Press