Olympic champion Pechstein banned for blood doping (Roundup)

Hamburg - Five-time Olympic speed skating champion Claudia Pechstein of Germany has been banned for two years by the ruling body ISU for blood doping. The ISU said on its website on Friday it found Pechstein guilty of 'the prohibited method of blood doping' from evidence gathered through the 37-year-old's blood profile. Pechstein is Germany's most successful Winter Olympian ever with nine medals overall (five of them gold) 1992-2006. She is also a six-time world champion and has 25 minor medals from the worlds. The ISU said its decision was 'based on the evidence of Ms Pechstein's profile which included abnormal values and abnormal changes of values in a series of tests (in particular in the tests conducted during the Essent ISU World Allround Championships held in Hamar on February 7-8, 2009).' Pechstein was banned from February 9, 2009, until February 8, 2011, after the completion of a hearing on Monday and Tuesday. The ISU disciplinary committee reportedly decided on the ban even though some experts at the hearing said that the abnormal values were not necessarily the result of doping. Pechstein withdrew from the Hamar worlds after two of four events, stating a fever. She did not compete again in the season. As a result, she will miss the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and, given her age, may end her career. Pechstein's lawyer, Simon Bergmann, said that she will appeal the ruling before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. 'Ther is no positive result, she was found guilty without a positive doping test,' said Bergmann. Germany speed skating supremo Gerd Heinze said: 'This is very tragic, but not the end yet.' Pechstein's last title was the European allround crown in January in Heerenveen, Netherlands. The ISU said it has used a blood screening programme since 1999 and has conducted some 11,000 tests among 1,650 skaters. The hematological passport, similar to that now also used in cycling and other sports, can detect suspicious values which then result in further target tests. Under new World Anti-Doping Code rules introduced on January 1, 2009, such findings can be used to establish a doping offence.