Russian skier Nikolai Pankratov has been officially barred from entering International Ski Federation (FIS) competitions for two years for violating anti-doping rules, the Russian Skiing Association said.
Pankratov's disqualification period is counted from September 8, 2010.
The FIS anti-doping committee claims Pankratov violated article 2.6 of the FIS Anti-Doping Code on possession of prohibited equipment or substances.
The two-time world championship medalist and world cup event winner was caught on the Swiss border last September in possession of 22 two-milliliter vials of Actovegin and intravenous equipment.
His lawyer argued that the medicine, not included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2010 list of banned substances, was prescribed by a German doctor for intramuscular application. The WADA rules do not forbid intravenous injections of Actovegin of up to 50 milliliters.
Actovegin, if injected, can cause the body to process oxygen more efficiently, thus improving an athlete's performance.
MOSCOW, January 11 (RIA Novosti)
