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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. 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. Ryan Johansen Predators Jersey . "[People] keep asking that question and its not a legit question because we dont have that right, we havent arrived yet," Casey responded. "Weve got to take each game at a time, each possession at a time and look at it that way. Ryan Ellis Jersey . Ribery, who won UEFAs best player in Europe award for the 2012-13 season, helped Bayern Munich win the Champions League and Bundesliga and German Cup titles. Messi, winner of the last four Ballon dOr awards in voting by coaches, team captains and media, was injured late in the season and could not prevent Barcelona from being beaten by Bayern in the Champions League semifinals. http://www.authenticpredatorspro.com/Colton-sissons-predators-jersey/ . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. Matt Irwin Jersey . Johnny Manziel, college footballs most entertaining player with the reputation for pulling off magical plays, was selected with the No. Dan Hamhuis Predators Jersey . Patrick Deslisle-Houde and David Rose each scored in the second to give the fourth-seeded Redmen a 3-1 lead after Jean-Philippe Mathieu scored in the first.TORONTO - When DeMar DeRozan was asked if there was anything positive to take away from such an ugly win as the Toronto Raptors victory over injury-riddled Oklahoma City on Tuesday, he wiped a hand over his exasperated brow.A win. Thats about it. A win, DeRozan said.Kyle Lowry wasnt quite so generous.Naw, I dont think so, Lowry said.DeRozan scored 16 points, and Lou Williams had nine of his 12 points in the fourth quarter as the Raptors defeated the Thunder 100-88 on Tuesday.But it wasnt before allowing Oklahoma City to have its way for most of the first half, and shoot 76 per cent in the opening quarter, despite playing with just eight men — none of them named Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook.Some time this year, were going to find some defence, from somebody, somewhere, coach Dwane Casey said. I dont know when, but Im going to find it.Patrick Patterson had 14 points and eight rebounds, while Tyler Hansbrough had 12 points, and Greivis Vasquez finished with 10 for Toronto (3-1), which was missing Amir Johnson for the second straight game (sore ankle).Weve just got to learn from it, we cant keep digging ourselves a hole, and expect to fight back and have everything fall in our hands, DeRozan said. We cant give teams hope. If thats making sure we make a stop the first three or four plays, dont give them no confidence, weve got to do that.Serge Ibaka virtually carried Oklahoma City (1-4), playing a whopping 46 minutes, scoring 25 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Lance Thomas had 14 points, while Reggie Jackson finished with 13.Casey had predicted the game would be a nightmare against a team he called a wounded animal, especially considering the Raptors have yet to play with the defensive effort he wants.Casey clearly knew what he was talking about as the Thunder was in the game until the dying minutes. Ive said this for weeks, we have no right to walk in and look at anybody and think its going to be an easy game, Casey said prior to tipoff.The Raptors took a narrow 73-70 lead into the fourth quarter, and didnt go up by double digits until Williams three-pointer with 9:23 to go put them up 83-72.We have to get better, and we will. We know were not doing as good as we want to do, Vasquez said. Were pissed. At ourselves. Because we should do better. Well take care of that.Toronto finally was able to cobble together a 16-point lead midway through the fourth, and while the Thunder pulled to within seven with three minutes to play, thats as close as they would come.Sebastian Telfair was callled for a flagrant foul and ejected with just under two minutes to play, leaving the Thunder to finish the game with just six men.dddddddddddd(A right knee contusion had already taken Perry Jones out of the game early in the second half).Im really encouraged by the guys, said Thunder coach Scott Brooks. Last resort, Ill suit up with our guys. I would love to play with our guys. I love how they compete and thats the type of group I want to be associated with.Id love to do it as long as its not shirts and skins and Im skins. You dont want to see my flabby body, he added. But I love the guys effort. Thats what the game is all about.Injury-bitten Oklahoma City is off to its worst start since going 1-15 in 2008-09. Durant — who sat courtside in a stylish blue suit and a protective walking boot — has a broken right foot, while Westbrook has a broken right hand. The Thunder was also without starting guard Andre Roberson, who sprained his foot a night earlier in the Thunders 116-85 loss to Brooklyn.Still, it was the Raptors who staggered out to the lacklustre start. They allowed Oklahoma City to hit eight of their first nine shots of the game to take a nine-point lead. The Thunder, which shot 12 for 17 in the frame, went into the second leading 30-23.Ive told them until my eyes turn red. Theyve had that speech a lot, Casey said, on the Thunders high shooting percentage. Until it sinks in, its going to be a roller-coaster.The Raptors second unit, which Casey singled out as the one big positive on the night, pulled Toronto to within two points midway through the second, and then on Torontos last possession of the quarter, with 29 seconds on the clock, Lowry fired a pass from halfcourt to a soaring Ross who finished the alley-oop, sending the Raptors into the break trailing 52-51.A layup by Lowry just under a minute into the second half gave Toronto a one-point lead — the Raptors first lead since the opening two minutes of the game. A bucket by Hansbrough gave the Raptors a seven-point advantage with 1:23 to play, but the scrappy Thunder battled back to cut Torontos lead to 73-70 with a quarter left to play.The Raptors werent immune to the injury bug Thursday, losing Jonas Valanciunas just before halftime when he collided with someone and suffered a facial contusion.The Raptors were coming off a 107-102 loss at Miami on Sunday.The Raptors are in Boston on Wednesday to play the Celtics then back home to host the Washington Wizards on Friday and the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. ' ' '
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