Russian biathlete Olga Pyleva was expelled from the Winter Olympics and stripped of the silver medal she won the women’s 15km race for failing a dope test, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Thursday.
It was the first failed dope test since the Games began on February 10.
”The International Olympic Committee today [Thursday] announced that biathlete Olga Pyleva, Russian Federation, has been excluded from the XX Olympic Winter Games in Turin in 2006 after failing an anti-doping test carried out by the IOC,” an IOC statement said.
”Pyleva (30) tested positive for Carphedon, a prohibited substance, on 13 February after the women’s 15 km Individual, Biathlon event, in which she won the silver medal,” it added.
Under Italy’s strict anti-doping laws, Pyleva faces a possible jail term of between three months and three years.
The 30-year-old Russian had been due to start in the biathlon 7,5km sprint on Thursday morning but was withdrawn shortly before the start of the event as she was suspended pending the hearing.
Her case was then reviewed by the IOC’s disciplinary commission who ruled that she be expelled from the games and stripped of her silver medal.
The gold medal in the 15km was won by her compatriot Svetlana Ishmouratova with Martina Glagow of Germany in third and another Russian Albina Akhatova fourth.
Pyleva won gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics in the pursuit and was world champion individual biathlete in 2004 with relay world championship golds in 2000, 2001 and 2005.
She is the first competitor to return a positive test at the Turin Games. Four years ago in Salt Lake City there were seven failed doping tests as the IOC stepped up its crackdown on drug cheats. – AFP
