Hosts Italy have been embarrassed days before the start of the Winter Olympics – with their biathlete Rebecca Passler kicked out of the Games because of a failed doping test.
Passler was provisionally suspended by Italy’s anti-doping agency (Nado) after she tested positive for banned substances letrozole and methanol.
Letrozole is a drug used to lower oestrogen levels and is frequently used to treat breast cancer, while methanol is a toxic chemical not meant for human consumption.
The Italian Olympic Committee said in a statement it has ordered her “immediate exclusion” from the team.
It is the first positive test of an athlete since teams started arriving in Italy for the Milan-Cortina Games, which officially start on Friday.
Passler, 24, achieved her best result at the 2024 IBU World Championships with 11th in the women’s 4x6km relay.
She had been set to make her Olympic debut at her home Games, but now faces a lengthy ban from the sport.
Related topics
- Winter Sports
- Biathlon
- Winter Olympics
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