| Norwegian Olympic Wrestler Banned
The Associated Press
Tuesday, November 7, 2000; 1:17 pm EST
OSLO, Norway - Norwegian wrestler Fritz Aanes, who finished fourth at the Sydney Olympics, was barred from competition for two years on Tuesday after testing positive for a banned substance.
Aanes is confident international wrestling authorities will reduce the ban to six months after it considers his explanation when it meets November 25, the Norwegian news agency NTB reported. The Norwegian federation said it had received word of the ban from the international governing body.
The Greco-Roman wrestler tested positive for nandrolone after losing the bronze medal in the 187 pound match at the Olympics. Test results released October 20 confirmed he used the banned substance.
The 22 year old wrestler said he unwittingly consumed the anabolic steroid in a diet supplement that did not list the drug in its ingredients.
Tests from a lab in Cologne, Germany, showed the supplement contained traces of nandrolene, which Norwegian sports officials have said appears to support Aanes' explanation. However, top International Olympic Committee officials have said that is not an excuse.
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