Some Russian athletes are likely to have tested positive for doping in the 2008 Olympic Games after their samples were re-examined, the Interfax news agency quoted Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko as saying on Friday.

Thirty one athletes from six sports could be banned from this year's Rio Olympics after failing doping tests when 454 samples from the 2008 Beijing Games were re-examined, the International Olympic Committee said on Tuesday.

"Now they will publish (a report for) 2008. I guess that our sportspeople will be there as well. We are talking about 12 countries here," the agency quoted Mutko as saying.

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)