July 18, 2014 (Moscow, Russia) – Two Russian biathletes, Ekaterina Iourieva and Irina Starykh were handed bans for failing doping tests, one of them was a former world champion reports AP. Both women tested positive for banned blood-booster EPO (erythropoietin) on the same day, Dec. 23. For former world champion biathlete Iourieva, it was a repeat offence and she now faces an eight-year ban, but this might be a moot issue since Iourieva announced her retirement one month after the positive test. Starykh, meanwhile, is facing a two-year ban.

Iourieva won the 15-kilometer individual race at the 2008 Biathlon Worlds, as well as silver in the 10km pursuit and bronze in the 12.5km mass start. In 2009, she tested positive for EPO, leading to a two-year ban. The 31-year-old announced her retirement in February, 2014.

For Starykh, her ban will expire on Dec. 23, 2015 and the Russian Biathlon Union indicates that she will not appeal this judgment. In 2013, Starykh won sprint gold at the European championships; she was sixth in the women’s World Cup standings prior to the Sochi Olympics. She is 26 years old.

Ekaterina Iourieva 8-year ban here.
Irina Starykh 2-year ban here.