Doping-Olympic champion speed skater Pechstein gets two-year ban

ZURICH, July 3 (Reuters) - Olympic speed skating champion Claudia Pechstein has been banned for two years after testing positive for blood doping and will miss next year's Vancouver Games, the International Skating Union (ISU) said on Friday.

The ISU said the German's blood profile had included abnormal values in a series of tests, in particular during February's world all-round championships.

The sport's governing body imposed the ban, back-dated to Feb. 9 this year, after a two-day hearing in Berne.

The 37-year-old Pechstein, who has won five Olympic gold medals, was hoping next year to compete at her sixth successive Winter Games. She has 21 days to appeal against the ban.

"The decision is subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne..." the ISU said on its website (www.isu.org). (Writing by Sonia Oxley in London; To comment on this story: sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)