SOCHI, Russia -- A top German biathlete and an Italian bobsledder were kicked out of the Sochi Olympics on Friday in the first doping cases of the Winter Games.
[b]Matt Hunwick Penguins Jersey[/b] . Former two-time Olympic gold medallist Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle tested positive for the stimulant methylhexanamine in both her "A" and "B" samples, the German Olympic Committee said. The committee said she has been removed from the team and was being sent home. Sachenbacher-Stehle -- winner of two golds and three silvers in cross-country skiing at previous games -- blamed the positive test on a nutritional supplement and said she had never knowingly taken performance-enhancing drugs. "I am going through the worst nightmare that you can imagine, because I am unable to explain at all how there could be a positive test," she said in a statement. The Italian Olympic Committee, meanwhile, announced that bobsledder William Frullani was ejected from the games after testing positive for the banned stimulant dimetylpentylamine in the athletes village on Tuesday. Frullani, who had not competed yet, asked for a backup test that "confirmed the positive result, resulting in his exclusion from the Italian delegation," CONI said. The IOC declined to comment, citing confidentiality of ongoing anti-doping procedures. Sachenbacher-Stehle, who switched from cross-country to biathlon two years ago, competed in five events in Sochi but did not win any medals. Her best results were two fourth-place finishes, in the 12.5K mass start and the mixed relay. The 33-year-old German was tested after Mondays mass start race. Her backup sample was tested on Friday and confirmed the original finding. Her expulsion from the games was announced after she appeared before an IOC disciplinary commission on Friday afternoon. Sachenbacher-Stehle had been left off Germanys top-ranked womens relay team before Friday nights 4x6-kilometre relay. The team finished 11th. Franziska Hildebrand, who skied the third leg for Germany, said the team was told about the doping case earlier in the day. "We are totally shocked," Hildebrand said. Methylhexanamine is classified on the World Anti-Agencys prohibited list as a "specified stimulant," a group of substances that are more susceptible to inadvertent use and can carry reduced penalties. Sachenbacher-Stehle said she had her nutritional supplements checked in a lab or cleared by the manufacturer before the games. "At the moment I can only assure all involved that I never knowingly took banned substances," she said. Any further sanctions outside of the Olympics are up to the International Biathlon Union. The German could face a ban from the sport for a year or more. Michael Vesper, chief of German Olympic body DOSB, said athletes have been repeatedly warned about supplements that contain methylhexanamine. "The DOSB strives for a doping-free sport and a zero tolerance policy," he said in a statement. "We strive only for cleanly achieved performances. Every doping case is first of all a big disappointment. But it is also proof that that control system works." Stefan Schwarzbach, spokesman for the German biathlon and cross-country teams, said a contaminated supplement is a possible explanation for Sachenbacher-Stehles positive test. "We are not sure if its really from an unproven, or dirty, supplement," he said. " We really dont know." "It really seems that it is a mistake," Schwarzbach added. "And she has to handle the consequences." As a cross-country skier, Sachenbacher-Stehle won gold medals in the team sprint at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and 4x5K relay at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. She won silver medals in Salt Lake, Vancouver and at the 2006 Turin Games. The only previous German athlete sanctioned for doping at a Winter Olympics was hockey player Alois Schloder, who was disqualified from the 1972 Sapporo Games after a positive test for ephedrine. German-born cross-country skier Johan Muehlegg was competing for Spain in 2002 when he was caught doping and stripped of one of his three gold medals at the Salt Lake City Olympics. In the Italian case, CONI told The Associated Press that it believed Frullani, a former decathlete, purchased the stimulant on the Internet from the United States, since it is not available in Italy. Dimethylamphetamine is also classified as a "specified stimulant" on the WADA list. Samuele Romanini will replace Frullani as the brakeman for the four-man bobsled race, which begins Saturday. The IOC is conducting 2,453 drug tests in Sochi, a record for the Winter Games. The IOC also stores Olympic doping samples for 10 years to allow for retesting when new methods become available.
[b]Chad Ruhwedel Penguins Jersey[/b] . Coming off a 6-0 drubbing at Chelsea on Saturday, Arsenal endured another demoralizing result after rallying for a 2-1 lead -- only to concede a fluke equalizer.
[b]Riley Sheahan Penguins Jersey[/b] . Howard hit a three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night.BEREA, Ohio -- Vince Young doesnt take anything for granted. Not after the road hes been down. Once of the NFLs rising stars before personal problems sidetracked the quarterbacks career, Young signed a one-year contract on Thursday with the Cleveland Browns. Although rusty, Young who hasnt played in a regular-season game since 2011, showed enough during a three-day tryout to get the deal. Its been a long climb back for Young, who wont celebrate with so much work to be done. "Theres no popping the champagne bottle," he said. The 30-year-old Young comes with an impressive resume after going 31-19 as an NFL starter and making two Pro Bowls. He was signed along with free agent QB Tyler Thigpen and linebacker Zac Diles shortly after the Browns completed their first minicamp under new coach Mike Pettine. This is another fresh start for Young, who spent part of the past two preseasons with Buffalo and Green Bay but hasnt appeared in a game since Dec. 18, 2011, for Philadelphia. He has endured financial problems, dealt with emotional issues and tried to balance his personal life while keeping his professional one afloat. Young is thankful for the new opportunity and plans to do all he can to convince the Browns that hes worth hanging onto for a while. After being offered a contract, Young told the Browns that instead of flying home to Texas, he planned to stay the weekend in Cleveland so he could become more acclimated with the teams playbook and to work out. "Right now I have my head down, just wanting to work and show the team, the organization what type of guy I am," Young said. "That was my whole focus and how much hard work I put in." Pettine said there were some moments over the past few days when Young looked like the Young of old. "He took off and ran for a first down, we just finished up a rack of third down plays here and you could tell hes very rusty," Pettine said. "I was just joking with him the other day that rust was falling off in large clumps, but he flashed a couplee of times.
[b]Jake Guentzel Penguins Jersey[/b]. You dont realize how big he is until you stand next to him. "We talk about all these 6-foot, 5-11 quarterbacks in the draft and then he comes walking out and you say, Oh, thats what theyre supposed to look like." Young acknowledged there were moments he felt like himself, and others when he struggled. "There is definitely some rust on there," he said. "The biggest thing is I just want to get down to my playing shape, eating right and try to get a feeling with the team, what they do with their workouts and things like that. "I just want to be around the team, be around the coaches and show them the part that they never see, the hard work that I do put in. Thats what theyre really about to see now." Thigpen was out of the league last year after playing six seasons with Kansas City, Miami and Buffalo. Hes 1-11 as a career starter with 21 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. "Its a great opportunity," he said. "I thought for a while there that the door was going to close, but now that opportunity has opened back up. Its time to take advantage of it." Young and Thigpen will be penciled in on the depth chart behind Brian Hoyer, who looked good in his first on-field work since undergoing knee surgery in October. Pettine was pleased with Hoyers progress. He was limited to individual and 7-on-7 drills, and hopes to be cleared for more in June. "As far as his preparation, how he approached the practice field, how he interacted with the players, it was as we expected and then some," Pettine said. NOTES: The Browns have until Saturday to pick up the fifth-year, $5.5 million contract option on DT Phil Taylor for 2015. Taylor promised the teams decision will not affect how he plays this season. "Im still going to go out there and do what Ive got to do for the team," Taylor said. "Im still a Cleveland Brown and Im going to be a Cleveland Brown until Im not." ... WR Nate Burleson was excused from the final day of camp.
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