European champion Brezhniva banned for four years for doping

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian anti-doping Agency (RUSADA) has handed two-time European track cycling champion Yelena Brezhniva a four year ban for doping offences, the organization announced on its website www.rusada.ru on Thursday.

According to the R-Sport news agency, a sample taken from Brezhniva found traces of growth hormones.

The 26-year-old's suspension started on June 22, 2015.

Brezhniva first represented Russia in 2008. In 2013 and 2014 she won the European team sprint title.

(Reporting By Dmitriy Rogovitskiy; Editing by Toby Chopra)