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LONDON -- Swedish hockey star Nicklas Backstrom will receive an Olympic silver medal even though he was suspended from the final in Sochi after a positive drug test. The International Olympic Committee ruled Friday that Backstrom had not intended to enhance his performance, laying the blame for his positive test for pseudoephedrine on the Swedish team doctor. The Washington Capitals centre was suspended and pulled from the team just hours before the Feb. 23 gold-medal game, which Sweden lost 3-0 to Canada. The Swedes were outraged by the timing of the decision and said it affected the teams performance. The IOC defended the suspension, saying it was "fully justified" because of the positive test and noting that Backstrom conceded also taking the allergy medication on the day of the final. But the IOC ruled that the player should not be kicked out of the Sochi Games altogether, citing "mitigating circumstances." "There was no indication of any intent of the athlete to improve his performance by taking a prohibited substance," the IOCs three-person disciplinary commission said. "As a consequence, the athlete is entitled to receive the silver medal and diploma awarded in respect of the mens ice hockey event." Backstrom tested positive for excess levels of pseudoephedrine after Swedens win over Slovenia in the quarter-finals on Feb. 19. He said the stimulant was contained in "Zytec-D," a medication he had been taking for allergies. The IOC said the positive result in the "A" sample was confirmed on the morning of Feb. 23. A hearing with Backstrom and Swedish team officials was quickly assembled. Among those attending was Bjorn Waldeback, the Swedish hockey team doctor and chief medical officer of the Swedish Olympic Committee. The IOC said Backstrom had "nothing to hide" and explained he had been taking the allergy medication regularly for seven years on the advice of a doctor and had never produced a positive test. He said he had taken the medication earlier that day. The IOC said Backstrom told the panel he knew the medication contained pseudoephedrine but relied on Waldebacks advice that the dosage would not trigger a positive test. Waldeback said he was "at fault" for that advice. Backstroms backup "B" sample was tested later on Feb. 23 and also came back positive. The IOC ruled that Backstrom committed an anti-doping violation by having the banned substance in his system. But the panel said he had been "open and co-operative," had disclosed the medication on his doping control form and had relied on Waldebacks advice. The IOC ruled that Waldeback "made a serious error" by telling Backstrom his use of the medication would not result in a positive test. If the doctor applies for Olympic accreditation in the future, the IOC should "seriously consider" his role in the case, the panel said. The IOC said the decision "should in no way" be seen as taking away from the responsibility of athletes to be vigilant and ensure that no prohibited substances enter their body. Wholesale Air Max 90 White . - Tom Brady and the Patriots routed the Bengals and quieted the doubters. Cheap Air Max 90 . Rookie Marek Mazanec made 39 saves for his first NHL victory and the Predators beat the Chicago Blackhawks 7-2 Saturday night. http://www.outletairmax90cheap.com/outlet-air-max-90-essential-cheap.html . The same cant be said of last Saturdays 2-2 draw at Olympic Stadium against a very weakened New York Red Bulls side and one which had three stalwarts in Henry, Cahill and Olave back home in Harrison, NJ. Cheap Air Max 90 White China . Correia pitched six innings of one-run ball, Eduardo Escobar homered, and the Minnesota Twins pulled away late to beat the Colorado Rockies 9-3 on Saturday. Off White Air Max 90 Outlet . As deep as their roster is, they need their superstar. Rose scored 23 points in his return from a five-game absence due to back pain, and Chicago hung on to beat the struggling Atlanta Hawks 90-79 on Monday.FRANKFURT - Defending champion Bayern Munich has little time to recover from its 4-1 beating at Wolfsburg before it hosts Schalke on Tuesday in the Bundesliga.Pep Guardiolas Bayern team still has an eight-point lead over Wolfsburg after its first Bundesliga defeat of the season, but Wolfsburgs emphatic victory exposed, not for the first time, Bayerns vulnerability to fast counter-attacks. Wolfsburgs win brought to mind Real Madrids 4-0 win in Munich in the Champions League last season.By giving up four goals, Bayern conceded as many as in its previous 17 matches.Wolfsburg appears to be closing in on its target of becoming a permanent Champions League entrant and, after 18 matches, has 10 points more than it did when it won its only championship in 2009.Here are some things to know about the midweek Bundesliga round of games:----STILL HURTING?Bayern players were at a loss for words after the beating at Wolfsburg, but few believe that Bayern will squander its lead in the standings.Wolfsburg is naturally a rival, but we are still eight points ahead, midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger said. Its all in our hands, we just have to find our game again and all will be well.Bayerns two other Bundesliga defeats under Guardiola came after it had already clinched the title last season with a record seven matches to spare.----SCHALKES PROBLEMSSchalke has a major problem to solve in Munich: how to compensate for the absence of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. The Duttch striker picked up a red card late in the 1-0 win over Hannover and has been banned for two matches.ddddddddddddFourth-place Schalke already has problems converting chances and Huntelaars absence could make matters worse.Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting played an hour against Hannover despite having just returned from the African Cup of Nations, where he played for Cameroon. Kevin-Prince Boateng could be the second striker in Munich.----AUGSBURGS DREAM SEASONAugsburgs dream season goes on. The team is fifth and within striking distance of a place in the Champions League. Its 3-1 win over Hoffenheim was its 10th of the season -- only Bayern (14) and Wolfsburg (11) have more.Midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg joined Augsburg during the winter break on loan from Bayern and immediately made an impact.He is a young kid and he can still improve, but its really impressive how far he (has come) at 19, Augsburgs coach Markus Weinzierl said.Augsburg travels to Borussia Dortmund Wednesday. We want to win no matter where we play, Hojbjerg said.----ENCOURAGING LASTDortmund, champion in 2011 and 2012 and runner-up the last two seasons, has dropped to last despite a 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen. Coach Juergen Klopp was encouraged nevertheless.It was important to show stability on the field, Klopp said. For the first time this season, Dortmund did not concede a goal away.Dortmund has scored only 18 goals and won only three of eight home matches. ' ' '

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