Winter Olympics: Russian skier hit with drugs ban

Russian skier Natalia Baranova has been thrown out of the Winter Olympics after testing positive for EPO.

The International Ski Federation revealed former world junior champion Baranova had, according to the official Winter Olympics website, www.saltlake2002.com, produced a positive test on January 18 at a competition in Tauplitzalm, Austria.

A second sample tested positive for the banned stamina-increasing drug yesterday.

The ISF informed the Russian Olympic Committee that Baranova would be suspended from international competition for two years and as a result not be allowed to compete at Salt Lake City.

Meanwhile, United States bobsled competitor Pavle Jovanovic - suspended for nine months after a positive dope test - is still waiting for a decision on whether he can compete in the Games.

The Court of Arbitration in Sport deliberated for almost 11 hours yesterday, but were still not able to come to a decision.

Earlier this week, the CAS over-ruled the International Olympic Committee by allowing Latvian bobsled competitor Sandis Prusis to compete at Salt Lake City.

The International Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Federation had reduced Prusis’ two-year steroid ban to three months, with the suspension period due to expire on Saturday, but the IOC had still banned the athlete from the Games.