MILAN, Feb 17 (Reuters) – Biathlete Rebecca Passler, who successfully overturned a doping ban, has not been selected for the Italian women’s relay team and will not participate at the Winter Olympics.
The Italian anti-doping body (NADO) last week upheld Passler’s appeal against a provisional suspension that followed a positive test for the banned substance Letrozole on January 26.
In her appeal, the 24-year-old said she lived with her mother who was taking Letrozole as part of her treatment for breast cancer and that the contamination likely came from a spoon which she used to eat some Nutella hazelnut spread for breakfast the day before the test.
Passler had rejoined her team for training on Monday but was not part of the quartet picked by team leader Klaus Hoellrigl for Wednesday’s race.
The foursome consists of Hannah Auchentaller, Dorothea Wierer, Michela Carrara and Lisa Vittozzi, the Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI) said.
The relay was the only event that Passler had qualified to take part in at the Milano Cortina Games.
Vittozzi on Sunday claimed Italy’s first gold medal in biathlon when won the 10km pursuit race.
(Reporting by Emilio ParodiWriting by Keith Weir; editing by Clare Fallon)
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