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Doctors argue Claudia Pechstein's abnormal blood levels caused by hereditary anomaly

March 15, 2010 |THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BERLIN - German doctors say a hereditary anomaly was responsible for the abnormal blood levels that led to multiple Olympic speedskating medallist Claudia Pechstein being suspended for doping.

Gerhard Ehninger, head of the German Society for Hematology and Oncology, said Monday that an evaluation of the case points to a light form of a blood anemia called spherocytosis - apparently inherited from her father.

The 38-year-old Pechstein is fighting a two-year suspension imposed last year.

She insists she wasn't using performance enhancers but has lost appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and Switzerland's Federal Tribunal and couldn't compete at the Vancouver Olympics.

Pechstein won nine medals at four Olympics.

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