Uzbek gymnast expelled from Olympics for doping

Uzbekistan's Luiza Galiulina, gymnast (Reuters)


Uzbek gymnast Luiza Galiulina became the third athlete to be expelled from the Olympics for doping after her B sample also tested positive for the banned substance furosemide.

Uzbekistan's only gymnast at the Games had been provisionally banned on July 29 after her urine sample had showed traces of the diuretic that can be used as a masking agent for other performance-enhancing drugs.

"The athlete's file shall be transmitted to the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (International Gymnastics Federation), which is requested to consider any further action within its own competence," the IOC said.

The 20-year-old Galiulina, who also competed at the 2008 Games, faces a maximum two-year ban as a first-time offender.

Furosemide, often sold under the brand name Lasix, can be used to treat high blood pressure, congestive heart failure or swelling caused by excess fluid retention. It has also been used to prevent horses from bleeding through the nose during races.

To read the rest of this story, visit YAHOO!

2012 Olympic Equestrian Photos

Peter Thomsen of Germany competes in the equestrian eventing cross country phase at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Wieber left out of gymnastics all-around

AP Photo

Raisman and Douglas Advance to FINALS

In a stunning last-second turn of events, defending world all-around champion Jordyn Wieber was been shut out of the Olympic all-around finals.

Contrary to what many of us would have ever envisioned, it wasn’t a Russian, a Romanian, or a Chinese challenger who has stolen Wieber’s chance to achieve her individual Olympic dream, and it wasn’t even her rival Gabby Douglas, whom many had pegged to fight neck and neck with Wieber for this all-around crown.

It was her other teammate – the U.S. team captain and one of Wieber’s best friends – Aly Raisman

Few in the arena probably even realized that the sturdy Raisman had an opportunity to seize one of the two available all-around spots on this American team when she saluted to begin her final event – floor. Both Douglas and Wieber, the two rivals who had been leading the competition as expected up until the final event, had both stepped out of bounds during their floor routines, costing each some valuable tenths. But hardly anyone noticed what it actually meant.

The audience had likely been so distracted by the overall brilliant performance of the American team on all four events, along with the deafening British crowd that was electrified by the host team as they competed alongside the world champion American squad. Jordyn Wieber was even in the midst of performing her final floor routine when the monstrous 16.133 was flashed for Beth Tweddle’s sensational uneven bars performance on the Brits’ final event – the highest score of the competition thus far, yielding the loudest eruption from the audience.

While the Brits were roaring, an unexpected door was quietly opened for Aly Raisman, who needed a 14.966 to surpass Wieber and grab one of the two available all-around spots for this team.

Finish reading this @ NBC