Posted at 6:33 a.m., Thursday, January 31, 2008
Biathlon: Finland's Varis tests positive for EPO
Associated Press
RUHPOLDING, Germany — Finnish biathlete Kaisa Varis tested positive for the blood booster EPO, the International Biathlon Union said today.The IBU had said that "prohibited substances" had been found in her "A'' sample, taken after an event at Oberhof, Germany, on Jan. 6. The IBU announced the finding after testing her "B'' sample.
Varis was twice banned for doping in cross country skiing and switched to biathlon. She was involved in the 2001 world championship doping scandal in Lahti, Finland, and was banned again two years later for doping.
Varis was excluded from the 2006 Winter Olympics by Finland's Olympic committee.
The IBU is expected to decide on a penalty within two weeks. As a repeat offender, Varis risks a lifetime ban.
