Slovenian Ice Hockey Player Fails Doping Test, Has To Leave Olympics

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (Reuters) - Slovenia men’s ice hockey player Ziga Jeglic has tested positive for a banned substance and has been suspended for the remainder of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Tuesday.

It added that Jeglic, who tested positive for fenoterol, had accepted the anti-doping rule violation and would leave the Olympics within 24 hours. Fenoterol can be taken for asthma as it facilitates breathing by opening up the airways.

Jeglic, who scored the shootout winner against Slovakia on Saturday, had failed an in-competition test and the final decision on his sanction would come after the end of the Games, CAS said.

The 29-year-old has played his entire career in Europe and has been competing in the Russian-based Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for the past four seasons.

The Slovenian Olympic committee said Jeglic was tested four days ago and that only the ‘A’ sample had been examined before the player accepted the violation.

“Ziga Jeglic will not play for Slovenia against Norway today. Until the completion of the procedure, the leadership of the Slovenian Olympic team cannot and will not make any statements,” it added.

The case is the third positive test at the Pyeongchang Games following a Japanese reserve speed skater and Russia’s bronze medal winning curler Alexander Krushelnitsky.