European cycling champion Brezhniva banned for doping (The Associated Press)

Two-time European track cycling champion Elena Brezhniva of Russia has been banned for four years for doping. The sanction for Brezhniva, who won European team sprint gold in 2013 and 2014, was backdated from June 22, 2015, the Russian anti-doping agency said in a statement, without specifying the nature of the offense. Brezhniva failed an out-of-competition test while at home in a case of ”negligence,” Russia head cycling coach Sergei Kovpanets told the R-Sport agency.