Two Moldovan athletes fail drug tests

A Moldovan athlete due to take part in the women's hammer at the London Olympics has been dropped from the squad after failing a dope test, officials said today.

A Moldovan athlete due to take part in the women's hammer at the London Olympics has been dropped from the squad after failing a dope test, officials said on Friday.

Moldovan Olympics Committee chief Nikolai Zhuravsky told reporters that Marina Marghieva -- and discus thrower Natalia Artyk, who was not on the official list of 21 Moldovan athletes due to compete in London -- had been sidelined.

"Testing of their 'B' samples confirmed the presence of banned drugs in their bodies," Zhuravsky said, adding that an investigation had been launched and both athletes risked a four-year ban.