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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. 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. 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Parmelee hit a game-ending shot in the ninth inning and the Minnesota Twins overcame David Ortizs big night to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-6 on Tuesday. Nick Margevicius Jersey . Next week, hell try to add to the list. A Stanley Cup champion as a rookie, Seguin followed that up by becoming the youngest player to lead the Boston Bruins in scoring.EDMONTON - Outgoing Edmonton Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins preached a refrain that has become all too familiar for fans of the struggling NHL team.Like it or not, you need to be patient, he said.Eakins met with reporters Tuesday, a day after he was fired by general manager Craig MacTavish with the last-place club mired in a deep slump. MacTavish will take over on a transitional basis before handing the reins to interim coach Todd Nelson, who becomes the teams fifth head coach in seven years.Eakins said he could speak freely now, but he didnt convey even a hint of bitterness over his half-hour availability. In fact, he sounded like someone who was still with the organization.The former coach said that, given time, hes confident Nelson and MacTavish will turn things around.I understand being out of the playoffs for a long time, but the situation is the situation, Eakins said. Its kind of like losing all your money. You dont get all your money back the next day.You have to start working again and working at it.The Oilers took a 7-19-5 record into Tuesday nights game at Arizona. Edmonton is on track to miss the playoffs for the ninth consecutive year.The fans of this organization: youve suffered greatly, Eakins said. But Im going to tell you, you need to be patient. Thats the way it goes. You need to be patient and if anybodys going to find a solution, its going to be Craig MacTavish. I know that for sure.His commitment to this organiization, his pain that he goes through every day, looking, trying to make this organization better.dddddddddddd. He will get it done. He will, I know he will.MacTavish has served as GM for less than two years. Nelson, meanwhile, inherits a team that has dropped 15 of 16 games entering play against the Coyotes.The Oilers are loaded with young players like Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov, but a lack of roster depth and experience appears to have hamstrung the squad. Hall, Nugent-Hopkins and Yakupov were all drafted with No. 1 overall picks. Eakins, who enjoyed AHL coaching success before joining Edmonton in June 2013, guided the Oilers to a 29-44-9 record last season. The team struggled at both ends of the ice again this season and Eakins paid the price.Nelson spent five seasons at Oklahoma City and guided the American Hockey League affiliate to a 15-6-2-2 record this season. I think Nellys going to bring in a great, fresh approach, Eakins said. Hes an excellent coach. Hes fully deserving of this opportunity and hes going to get great support here with the staff.Eakins also thanked the fans, players and members of the organization for the opportunity, his first NHL coaching job.This organization is at where its at — all of the past means nothing, he said. Today is where youre at and where do you go forward? Theres going to have to be some patience here for Craig to let him do his work. ' ' '