SOCHI, Russia -- A top German biathlete and an Italian bobsledder were kicked out of the Sochi Olympics on Friday in the first doping cases of the Winter Games. Emmitt Smith Jersey . Former two-time Olympic gold medallist Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle tested positive for the stimulant methylhexanamine in both her "A" and "B" samples, the German Olympic Committee said. The committee said she has been removed from the team and was being sent home. Sachenbacher-Stehle -- winner of two golds and three silvers in cross-country skiing at previous games -- blamed the positive test on a nutritional supplement and said she had never knowingly taken performance-enhancing drugs. "I am going through the worst nightmare that you can imagine, because I am unable to explain at all how there could be a positive test," she said in a statement. The Italian Olympic Committee, meanwhile, announced that bobsledder William Frullani was ejected from the games after testing positive for the banned stimulant dimetylpentylamine in the athletes village on Tuesday. Frullani, who had not competed yet, asked for a backup test that "confirmed the positive result, resulting in his exclusion from the Italian delegation," CONI said. The IOC declined to comment, citing confidentiality of ongoing anti-doping procedures. Sachenbacher-Stehle, who switched from cross-country to biathlon two years ago, competed in five events in Sochi but did not win any medals. Her best results were two fourth-place finishes, in the 12.5K mass start and the mixed relay. The 33-year-old German was tested after Mondays mass start race. Her backup sample was tested on Friday and confirmed the original finding. Her expulsion from the games was announced after she appeared before an IOC disciplinary commission on Friday afternoon. Sachenbacher-Stehle had been left off Germanys top-ranked womens relay team before Friday nights 4x6-kilometre relay. The team finished 11th. Franziska Hildebrand, who skied the third leg for Germany, said the team was told about the doping case earlier in the day. "We are totally shocked," Hildebrand said. Methylhexanamine is classified on the World Anti-Agencys prohibited list as a "specified stimulant," a group of substances that are more susceptible to inadvertent use and can carry reduced penalties. Sachenbacher-Stehle said she had her nutritional supplements checked in a lab or cleared by the manufacturer before the games. "At the moment I can only assure all involved that I never knowingly took banned substances," she said. Any further sanctions outside of the Olympics are up to the International Biathlon Union. The German could face a ban from the sport for a year or more. Michael Vesper, chief of German Olympic body DOSB, said athletes have been repeatedly warned about supplements that contain methylhexanamine. "The DOSB strives for a doping-free sport and a zero tolerance policy," he said in a statement. "We strive only for cleanly achieved performances. Every doping case is first of all a big disappointment. But it is also proof that that control system works." Stefan Schwarzbach, spokesman for the German biathlon and cross-country teams, said a contaminated supplement is a possible explanation for Sachenbacher-Stehles positive test. "We are not sure if its really from an unproven, or dirty, supplement," he said. " We really dont know." "It really seems that it is a mistake," Schwarzbach added. "And she has to handle the consequences." As a cross-country skier, Sachenbacher-Stehle won gold medals in the team sprint at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and 4x5K relay at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. She won silver medals in Salt Lake, Vancouver and at the 2006 Turin Games. The only previous German athlete sanctioned for doping at a Winter Olympics was hockey player Alois Schloder, who was disqualified from the 1972 Sapporo Games after a positive test for ephedrine. German-born cross-country skier Johan Muehlegg was competing for Spain in 2002 when he was caught doping and stripped of one of his three gold medals at the Salt Lake City Olympics. In the Italian case, CONI told The Associated Press that it believed Frullani, a former decathlete, purchased the stimulant on the Internet from the United States, since it is not available in Italy. Dimethylamphetamine is also classified as a "specified stimulant" on the WADA list. Samuele Romanini will replace Frullani as the brakeman for the four-man bobsled race, which begins Saturday. The IOC is conducting 2,453 drug tests in Sochi, a record for the Winter Games. The IOC also stores Olympic doping samples for 10 years to allow for retesting when new methods become available. Tony Pollard Jersey . - Hitting was supposed to be the Pittsburgh Pirates weakness coming into the season yet they lead the major leagues in home runs through the first 16 games of the season. Bob Lilly Womens Jersey . "We cannot stay the same way the whole season long," said Reyes. "This is not acceptable. Something needs to change because were a better team than what were showing right now. Its a long season and we just need to continue to push." Its been a frustrating week for the ballclub. https://www.cowboyssportsgoods.com/Womens-Daryl-Johnston-Inverted-Jersey/ . -- Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew practiced in a limited capacity Friday, a positive sign he might be able to play against the Tennessee Titans. NEW YORK -- With Derek Stepan recovering from surgery and Dan Carcillo suspended, the New York Rangers got some good news Saturday with word that Derick Brassard is healthy for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final with Montreal. The Rangers centre left early in Game 1 with an upper body injury after being checked by Canadiens defenceman Mike Weaver and has not played since. Brassard told reporters after practice that he was good to go. That brought a smile to the face of Rangers coach Alain Vigneault. "I was told he cleared himself," Vigneault said with a laugh. "Thats good to know. He didnt tell me." As for Stepan, Vigneault says he was in hospital recovering from surgery to repair a broken jaw. Montreal forward Brandon Prust was suspended for two games by the league for the blindside hit. As one might expect, Vigneault said Stepan was "unlikely" to play Sunday. The 23-year-old centre has not missed a game since coming into the league in the 2010-11 season. Carcillo, meanwhile, was suspended 10 games for jostling a linesman in the aftermath of the Prust hit. Carcillo declined to speak to reporters Saturday. But Vigneault said the player knew he needed to have kept control of himself. "I cant begin to tell you how bad he feels about the whole thing," the coach said. "His situation, his personal future, the team. Theres nothing he can do about it now and therees nothing we can do about it. Troy Aikman Youth Jersey. " Forward Brad Richards called the abrasive Carcillo "a great teammate." "I heard a lot about him before but I dont have one bad thing to say about him." The New York players, for the most part, had little to say about the length of the ban to Prust, a former Ranger. But goalie Henrik Lundqvist said that hot spots in the playoffs usually cool down in the off-season. "Especially during the playoffs, you dont see your opponents as friends, even though youve played with them. Right now I dont have any friends in Montreal," the stylish Swede said with a chuckle. "Theyre just enemies and you play it that way. Thats your approach. "But you also have to understand this game, you know, theres a lot of players that play on the edge. Thats their role, thats what they do. Theyre always going to play it like that and sometimes things happen and maybe they take it a little too far. As it comes to relationships, as friends, in the summertime you move past it. "But right now, do I like what happened? Absolutely not. But its on the ice, it happens on the ice. It is what it is." The Habs made one lineup change, with Thomas Vanek moving to the third line and taking Dale Weises spot, who moves down to the fourth line. Game 4 is Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers lead the series two games to one. ' ' '