FIG bans Taiwanese gymnast, hits federation with fine and warning in doping case

October 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Weightlifters Vicky Batta and Shailaja Pujari have tested positive in out-of-competition dope test and face the risk of being banned for life. Batta (56 kg) tested positive in a surprise test conducted by World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) in September while Pujari (75 kg) was caught in an out-of-competition test done by National Anti Doping Agency (NADA), a source told IANS.

October 12th, 2009 Cannavaro cleared in bee sting doping caseFLORENCE, Italy — The doping case involving a bee sting and defender Fabio Cannavaro has been dropped by the Italian Olympic Committee. The committee's anti-doping court on Monday dropped the case after learning the positive test was a result of using cortisone to treat the bee sting.

October 10th, 2009 ROME - A doping case involving international defender Fabio Cannavaro appears set to be dismissed as a sports prosecutor ascertained that it was based on a miscommunication, Italian media reported Saturday. The 36-year-old player of Juventus was treated with an anti-allergy drug after being stung by a hornet.

October 8th, 2009 Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro fails doping testROME — Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro has failed a doping test, with his club Juventus saying Thursday it was the result of cortisone used to treat a bee sting. The Italian Olympic Committee's anti-doping prosecutor, Ettore Torri, opened an investigation.

September 8th, 2009 Austria: Olympic ban on 12 biathlon coaches liftedVIENNA — The Austrian Olympic Committee lifted a ban Tuesday on 12 biathlon and cross-country skiing officials allegedly involved in a doping scandal at the 2006 Turin Games. The decision could trigger action by the International Olympic Committee, which said it reserved the right to reopen disciplinary proceedings against the officials.

September 3rd, 2009 Jamaica appeals tribunal clears sprinter BrooksKINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican sprinter Sheri-Ann Brooks has been cleared of doping. A Jamaican appeals tribunal Thursday agreed with a disciplinary panel's decision to clear Brooks because her backup sample was tested without her knowledge.

August 18th, 2009 Moroccan steeplechase runner fails doping testBERLIN — Moroccan steeplechase runner Jamal Chatbi was suspended for doping before his race Tuesday, the first athlete to test positive at the world championships. The Moroccan track and field federation said he tested positive for the steroid clenbuterol.

August 12th, 2009 IAAF still awaiting Jamaican doping informationBERLIN — The world athletics federation is still awaiting information on a ruling that cleared five Jamaican athletes of doping and a decision on their participation in the world championships is likely to come close to Saturday's opening. "We are following the matter.

August 12th, 2009 3 Russian biathletes suspended for doping at WCupMOSCOW — The International Biathlon Union has suspended three Russian biathletes for two years each after finding them guilty of anti-doping rule violations. Albina Akhatova, Yekaterina Iourieva and Dmitri Yaroshenko tested positive for the banned substance rEPO during a World Cup event last December in Ostersund, Sweden.

August 5th, 2009 5 Brazilians fail doping tests ahead of worldsSAO PAULO — Five Brazilians preparing for this month's track and field world championships in Berlin have failed doping tests. Three of them competed at last summer's Olympics.

August 3rd, 2009 Sheik Mohammed gets 6-month ban for horse dopingGENEVA — The International Equestrian Federation banned its president's husband — Dubai's Sheik Mohammed — from riding in endurance races for six months after his horse twice failed doping tests. Sheik Mohammed accepted the suspension based on his horse Tahhan's positive tests for a hypertension drug and the steroid stanozolol, equestrian's governing body said Monday.

July 22nd, 2009 Court bans 7 Russians who tampered with dope testsLAUSANNE, Switzerland — Sport's highest court extended doping bans until April 2011 for seven Russian athletes who tampered with urine samples, ensuring they will miss next month's world championships in Berlin. The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the IAAF's appeal for longer suspensions for middle-distance runners Olga Yegorova, Tatyana Tomashova, Yelena Soboleva, Yulia Fomenko and Svetlana Cherkasova, plus field athletes Gulfiya Khanafeyeva and Darya Pishchalnikova.

July 3rd, 2009 Armstrong under doping watch at TourPARIS — France's sports minister says Lance Armstrong will be "particularly monitored" in anti-doping checks at the Tour de France this year. Roselyne Bachelot, speaking in an interview on French cable TV on Friday, sent the warning to the seven-time Tour winner who has come out of retirement to race again in cycling's showcase.

June 19th, 2009 Equestrian body checks 2nd horse doping caseLAUSANNE, Switzerland — The International Equestrian Federation is investigating a second member of its president's family for alleged horse doping. The governing body said Friday that Princess Haya of Jordan will step aside from her presidential duties when it considers the case against Sheik Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the son of her husband, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum.

June 5th, 2009 2 Spanish cyclists challenge doping bans at CASLAUSANNE, Switzerland — Two Spanish cyclists banned for doping have filed appeals with sport's highest court to overturn their suspensions. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Friday that Patxi Vila and Francisco Ventoso are seeking to annul sanctions imposed by Spain's cycling federation.