BRIEF-Doping-CAS upholds two-year ban for Russian biathletes

BERLIN Nov 13 (Reuters) - The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Friday upheld a two-year doping ban for former world champion biathletes Ekaterina Iourieva and Albina Akhatova.

The Russian pair, who tested positive for the banned substance EPO at the Biathlon World Cup in Sweden in December 2008, had appealed an International Biathlon Union two-year suspension handed out in August.

They are ineligible to compete in February's Winter Olympics in Vancouver as their ban ends in December 2010.

(Writing by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Alison Wildey; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)