GOLD MEDALLISTS FAIL DRUG TESTS
Triple gold winner Johan Muehlegg and cross-country star Larisa Lazutina were stripped of a medal each on Sunday after testing positive for a blood-boosting drug.
Muehlegg, German-born but competing for Spain, failed a test for darbepoetin - related to EPO but much stronger - on Thursday.
The 31-year-old will lose his 50km classical gold which he won on on Saturday.
Lazutina, 36, looked to be heading home to Russia with her record-tying 10th cross-country skiing Olympic medal with her gold in the 30-kilometre race.
She will now lose that medal after also testing positive for darbepoetin.
Traces of the same drug were found in a sample given by Lazutina's team-mate Olga Danilova, who finished eighth and was also disqualified.
Darbepoetin, a synthetic version of EPO which increases the number of
oxygen-carrying red cells in the bloodstream, is not named on the IOC's list of
prescribed substances.
But IOC medical officer Arne Lundquist confirmed that the athletes had still
broken the IOC's anti-doping rules.
"It's true that the substance is not specifically named," he said.
"But any analogous substance to EPO is banned."
He added: "Any substance that will be performance-enhancing or dangerous to your
health is banned."
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IOC director general Fracois Carrard confirmed that all three athletes would be
able to appeal against the decision.
He said: "The system which exists now of course protects the rights of the
athletes to appeal to a court of arbitration."
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