Johaug to miss Olympics as CAS extends doping ban

OSLO: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday extended Norwegian cross-country skier Therese Johaug’s doping suspension to 18 months, preventing the seven-time world champion from participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics.

In February, Norway’s sports arbitration board imposed a 13-month suspension on the 29-year-old, who tested positive for a steroid which she said was in a lip balm.But the International Ski Federation (FIS) deemed that decision too lenient and lodged an appeal.

“I’m completely broken. I was dreaming about the Olympics and I was told yesterday that it would not happen,” Johaug tearfully told a live-streamed news conference in Italy on Tuesday.“I cannot understand the punishment I got. I find it unfair.”

Johaug tested positive for traces of the anabolic steroid clostebol, banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), during an out-of-competition drug test on September 16, 2016.She said the steroid was contained in a lip cream called Trofodermin.

Since the beginning of the case, the judges have believed her explanations and precluded an attempt to cheat as the steroid doses in the lip balm are not enough to boost performance.