Italian race walker Alex Schwazer trained in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday (10th August) while waiting for the verdict of an appeal lodged with the Court of Arbitration for Sports on his latest doping ban.

It is the second doping case faced by Schwazer, but this time he maintains he's clean.

Four years ago, Alex Schwazer tested positive for EPO before the 2012 London Games. He received a 45-month ban.

Schwazer was informed in June this year that a May 12 retest of a January 1 doping control sample showed positive traces of steroids, the Italian then appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport

And Schwazer attended the CAS hearing in Rio de Janeiro on Monday (8th August), along with his coach Sandro Donati and his lawyer Gerhard Brandstaetter.

CAS will announce the verdict by Friday (12th August) at the latest, the day of the Men's 20km race walk.

The 50km is scheduled for August 19.

Schwazer, who won the 50km event at the 2008 Beijing Games, returned to competition and won the 50km at the world championships in Rome in May.

The retest was conducted after Schwazer qualified for the Rio Games by winning this race.

Back in 2012, Schwazer held a news conference in Italy after it was revealed he had tested positive and broke down in tears while recounting how he hid the banned substance in the home he was sharing with star figure skater Carolina Kostner.

His return was controversial, with some Italian athletes saying he should not have been given a chance to qualify for Rio.

Schwazer's last urine test was conducted by the Italian Olympic Committee on June 22. The results were negative.