MOSCOW: Russian Olympic biathlon competitor Alexander Loginov was banned for two years for doping, while two more Russians had their bans extended on Friday.

Loginov originally tested positive for the blood-boosting EPO in November 2013, but it was detected only 12 months later.

The International Biathlon Union said in a statement his ban will run for two years from Nov. 25, 2014.

Loginov’s competition results from Nov 26, 2013, have also been canceled, meaning he loses a World Cup relay gold medal, and is likely to be retroactively disqualified from last year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, where he finished 30th in the men’s 10km individual race.

The 23-year-old Loginov was considered a rising star of biathlon before his positive test, having won two gold medals at the 2013 world junior championships.

He became the third biathlete who competed at the Sochi Olympics and has since been banned for the games period.

Germany’s Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle tested positive at the games, while Ukraine’s Sergei Sednev was banned in April, his two-year sanction backdated to cover the Sochi Olympics.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2015

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