BUCHAREST Two athletes have been kicked off Romanias Olympic squad after testing positive for the banned blood booster EPO, it was announced here Thursday.

The middle distance runners, Elena Antoci and Cristina Vasiloiu, were left behind in Bucharest when the rest of the Romanian squad traveled to Beijing on Sunday.

Octavian Morariu, president of Romanias Olympic Committee, said they were waiting on the athletes B samples before confirming the pairs fate.

But he declared “If theres the slightest suspicion of doping the two athletes wont be taking part in the Olympic Games as we dont want to see our reputation sullied.”The tests were ordered by the Romanian anti-drugs agency.

A third Romanian athlete, Liliana Popescu, has already been kicked out of this months Games after failing a drugs test on May 29 at a competition in Alger.