Skiers get five-day bans in Vancouver for high haemoglobin samples

 A RUSSIAN Nordic Combined athlete and an Estonian cross-country skier have been banned from competing for five days at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver after doping test revealed abnormally high levels of haemoglobin.

SHORT-TERM BAN: Russia's Niyaz Nabeev and Estonia's Kaspar Kokk have received five-day bans from Vancouver 2010 for having high levels of haemoglobin in their blood (Getty Images)

The International Ski Federation said in a statement that Russia's Niyaz Nabeev and Estonia's Kaspar Kokk returned positive results for high haemoglobin values in pre-Games tests and are prevented from competing from Friday until Tuesday.

The statement said: "Pre-competition blood testing was carried out by FIS whereby all cross-country and Nordic combined athletes were tested prior to their first Olympic competition.

"The athletes have been issued with a start prohibition for five consecutive days due to too high haemoglobin values."

The 20-year-old Nabeev, in his first Olympics, and Kokk, who placed eighth in the 4x10K relay at the 2006 Turin Olympics, can return to competition beginning Wednesday, subject to further blood tests.

Nabeev was ineligible for the opening event of the Nordic combined program on Sunday. Kokk is ineligible for the opening event on the cross country schedule on Monday.

High hemoglobin levels can occur naturally but are indicators of some methods of doping such as the use of blood-booster EPO.

As yet there is no evidence to suggest that is the case with either athlete.

Russia will certainly be hoping that is not the case.

Just last week, International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge revealed he had been in contact with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to outline his concern at the number of Russian athletes testing positive for banned substances within winter sports.

Alena Sidko is the latest in a long line to be exposed.

Sidko was thrown out of the Russian team for Vancouver last month, having tested positive for blood booster EPO.

While Russia's Julia Tchepalova - one of the most successful female cross-country skiers of recent times, winning Olympic gold in 1998, 2002 and 2006 and claiming world titles in 2001 and 2005 - was banned for two years before Christmas.

Another Russian skier, Nina Rysina, tested positive for EPO while competing in France in January.

AS IT HAPPENS: Day three of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver