Norwegian cross-country skiing star Therese Johaug will miss next year's Winter Olympics after losing her appeal against a doping ban at the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) and seeing her suspension extended.
CAS said in a statement Tuesday she must serve an 18-month ban meaning she will not be able to compete at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, next February.
The 29-year-old failed an out-of-competition test in September 2016. She said she inadvertently used a cream that contained the banned substance clostebol to treat her sunburned lips.
In an initial reaction, an emotional Johaug said she was "devastated" and that the decision had ruined two seasons for her.
"I had dreamed of the Olympics, I tried as best I could to train every day to succeed," she said.
"I feel that I've been wrongly treated.
"The world championships in Seefeld (in 2019) will be my next goal.
The three-strong CAS panel said Johaug had "failed to conduct a basic check of the packaging".
The packaging "not only listed a prohibited substance as an ingredient but also included a clear doping cautionary warning."
The Norwegian Ski Federation was critical of the CAS ruling.
Norway's Confederation of Sports had initially issued Johaug with a 13-month ban but the International Ski Federation (FIS) had requested a longer suspension.
The skier at first accepted the original Norwegian ban, but in her appeal to CAS in June she asked the panel to clear her, citing that the cream was given to her by former Norwegian team physician Fredrik Bendiksen.
Johaug is one of winter sport's top names due to her medal tally and model looks. She has one Olympic gold medal from the four x five kilometre relay in Vancouver in 2010 as well as seven world championship golds.
