German biathlete, Italian bobsledder expelled from Sochi Olympics for doping

A female German biathlete and a male Italian bobsledder have reportedly been expelled from the ongoing 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi after the duo tested positive for banned substances, in the first doping cases of these Games. Double gold-medal winning biathlete Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle confirmed her positive test, describing it as the 'worst nightmare that can ever be imagined' while the Italian Olympic Committee revealed it had thrown bobsledder William Frullani out of the Games after he tested positive for a banned substance.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the German Olympic Sports Confederation stated that both Sachenbacher-Stehle's samples had tested positive for the stimulant methylhexanamin, while Frullani tested positive for the banned substance dymetylpentylamine

Stating that she cannot explain how her test came out as positive, Sachenbacher-Stehle stated that she had had all her dietary supplements tested in a laboratory, adding that she is living through the worst nightmare that can ever be imagined.

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) said that the positive tests are a 'victory for imprudence, irrationality and stupidity', adding that it totally defies logic and just does not fit with the kind of athlete Frullani is.

The report mentioned that Sachenbacher-Stehle, who spent most of her long career as a cross country skier before switching last season to biathlon, hit controversy at the Turin Olympics of 2006 after she was banned due to excessive levels of haemogloblin.

At Sochi, her best results were fourth place in the women's mass start and also fourth place in the mixed relay, the report added.

Reports said that there had been a third positive doping test from an athlete of another nationality but this has yet to be confirmed.