March 24, 2009 (Montreal, QC) – Natalia Matveeva, a 22-year-old Russian cross-country skier, has been suspended for doping apparently testing positive for EPO during a World Cup meet in January in Whistler, B.C. as reported by the new Russian web site Allsport.

According to Allsport the Russian sprint team coach, Tatyana Revina, has called the result a mistake and a Russian expert who works with the team is reported to be in Montreal when the “B sample” result is revealed Monday. “We do not use doping technology in our work and there have been no doping ingredients in the preparations we use,” said Revina but Russian cross-country officials could not be reached for comment.

Matveeva won the women’s “B” Final in the individual sprint event at the Whistler World Cups and was 6th in the team sprint. Since those World Cups Matveeva most notably was 4th in the skate sprint at the 2009 Nordic World Championships in Liberec, where she was the events fastest qualifier.