Top Utah Athlete Suspended For Failing Drug Test

A medication for hair loss is to blame for Zach Lund's suspension from this weekend's World Cup

Top U.S. skeleton slider Zach Lund will miss this weekend's World Cup race in Germany, and quite possibly the Turin Olympics, after testing positive for a drug masking agent earlier this season.

Lund, the overall World Cup points leader and perhaps the U.S. men's best hope for Olympic gold, was suspended Tuesday after testing positive for the hair restoration drug Finasteride, U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation president Jim Shea Sr. told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.

Lund said he received a letter Tuesday from the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation saying he was placed on provisional suspension until a hearing, which had not been scheduled.

``Right now they're trying to treat me as if I'm a cheater,'' Lund told the AP. ``I'm not. I have the proof to show this is an honest mistake. Right now, my Olympic slot can be taken away and it's obviously really hard on me.''

Also Tuesday, U.S. skeleton coach Tim Nardiello lost a legal challenge to overturn his own suspension in time to rejoin the team in Germany.

Nardiello was placed on administrative leave Dec. 31 over allegations that he sexually harassed athletes he was coaching. Nardiello, who has repeatedly denied the allegations, was effectively barred from coaching the team in Germany this weekend when a justice from the New York Supreme Court in Elizabethtown, N.Y., denied his request to be reinstated.

Nardiello will now turn his attention to being allowed to return in time for the Turin games.

Finasteride, which has been known to mask certain performance-enhancing drugs, is also sold as the brand name Propecia. Shea said Lund had only been taking Finasteride for thinning hair, but should have known it could get him into trouble.

``It is not a steroid. It is not an enhancer. It's what they called a blocker,'' Shea said. ``Zach has been taking a pill a day since 1999 to prevent male balding, losing his hair. This drug came on the list within the last year and Zach didn't know it. He wasn't doing due diligence and it's an athlete's responsibility.''

Lund tested positive for Finasteride after a World Cup race in Calgary two months ago _ the first stop on this season's schedule, according to a team official who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the case.

Lund was one of three American men expected to be nominated to the Olympic team later this month, with Eric Bernotas and Kevin Ellis being the others.

``It's been harder than you can imagine,'' Lund said. ``I've been planning on this year for 10 years of my life. The 2006 Olympic Games has been my goal in life. I feel I've done everything I can do in my power to be an Olympian and a medalist this year. And I thought it was all coming true. Now, boom! Everything is falling apart.''