Sochi Olympics Has Its First Doping Case

An unidentified German athlete has failed a drug test in the first announced doping case of the Sochi Olympics. The German Olympic Committee said today it had been notified by the IOC late yesterday that one of its athletes had tested positive on an "A'' sample. The backup "B'' sample will be analyzed today, the German committee said. The Germans did not name the athlete, the sport, or the substance involved.

Olympic athletes face formal doping charges if both samples are positive, and it's rare for a "B'' sample to contradict the original "A'' finding. Any athlete found guilty of a doping violation faces disqualification and removal of results and medals. The IOC is conducting 2,453 drug tests in Sochi, a record for the Winter Games. The majority of tests are in strength and endurance sports, notably cross-country skiing and biathlon, events where the use of EPO and other blood-boosting drugs can aid stamina. (More 2014 Sochi Olympics stories.)