Austrian mountain biker suspended for eight years

Mountain biker Robert Kircher has been suspended for eight years for doping by the Austrian National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).  It is the longest ban that the NADA has ever handed out.

The NADA ruled that Kircher ordered and received forbidden products in March 2009.  This violation carries a two-year ban. 

In addition, he was given a further ban for distributing the products to others, although he denied having used the products himself. Because of the many violations, the NADA said that the minimum four-year ban was insufficient, and handed down a suspension of eight years. Kircher, 33, has said that he plans to appeal the ban in civil court.