It was an Olympics to remember for Team Latvia but they’ll have a bad memory to take home with them.
The IOC disqualified forward Vitalijs Pavlovs from the Olympics for testing positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine. Martin Merk at IIHF.com has the details.
At a hearing held on Saturday, the player informed the IOC Disciplinary Committee that he has been taking food supplements upon the recommendation of the doctor of his club team and that he did not understand how this substance entered his body.
Pavlovs, 24, was making his first appearance in the Olympics and had one assist during the tournament. Along with being disqualified, he will have his diploma for finishing eighth with Team Latvia withdrawn.
Next up for Pavlovs will be to see whether the IOC and IIHF decide to punish him any further for the positive test.