Doping struck the Winter Olympics [Images] in Turin on Thursday, bruising a Games that officials had hoped would restore the image of clean competition after the scandals of the Athens Summer Games.

Russian athlete Olga Pyleva, who took the silver medal in Monday's 15km individual biathlon, was suspended pending a disciplinary investigation into doping by the International Olympic Committee, her team said.

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"They have found something in sample A, but sample B has yet to be done," a spokesman for the team said.

IOC sources said the disciplinary commission is meeting later on Thursday. The commission only meets when both samples have tested positive.

If she is found guilty she will be thrown out of the Games, stripped of her medal and faces a two-year ban from the sport.

She may even face a criminal prosecution in Italy [Images] under a pre-Games agreement between the government and IOC.

It was the first suspension in the Games, which for five days had been a celebration of sporting achievement and had officials hoping that the doping scandals that soured the Athens Games could be forgotten.

It did not impress Martina Glagow who was pushed into third place in the 15km individual biathlon by Pyleva.

"I dont want the silver medal. If I didn't win it on the track it's useless," she said. "I'm shocked. I've known Pyleva for a long time and really didn't expect something like this."

World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound added to the sense that the battle against doping in Olympic sport is far from won, by saying he suspected that several cross-country skiers had taken banned substances.

"Frankly, we think we are dealing with doping," Pound, also an International Olympic Committee member, told Reuters. "It is too much of a coincidence to have 12 athletes with hugely high Hb levels just before the Games."

ABNORMALLY HIGH

Twelve athletes were found to have abnormally high levels of red blood cells at the Games' start. The International Skiing Federation had suspended them for five days due to health concerns, saying the likely cause was high altitude training.

Seven of them had reduced levels after re-testing and have been allowed to compete. Only one, a Belarussian, Sergey Dolidovich, must serve a further suspension after his red blood cell count did not drop sufficiently.

"I think we are going to have another look [after the Games]. It is easier to deal with it as a health problem than doping problem," Pound said. "They [FIS] might be afraid that they are not able to prove that they were drugged."

The re-emergence of doping overshadowed Estonia's Kristina Smigun's achievement to become the first to win two gold medals at the Games when she triumphed in driving rain in the women's cross-country skiing 10-km classical event, starting off the sixth day that will offer up seven more medals.

Smigun, winner of the 15-km pursuit on Sunday, beat favourite Marit Bjoergen of Norway to get her second gold medal.

A gold was also all but sealed for Russian figure skater Yevgeny Plushenko, who takes to the rink later on Thursday.

The 23-year-old Russian holds a commanding lead over second-place American Johnny Weir heading into the free skate programme and even his rivals are all but conceding defeat.

"If he falls three times, maybe, just maybe, somebody can slip past," said Weir, whose 80.00 points from the short programme is only within shouting distance of Plushenko's 90.66.

On the slopes, the Nordic combined team event resumes on the large hill after being postponed on Wednesday due to high winds and the fast and furious snowboard cross event makes its Olympic debut with world champion Seth Wescott looking to add to the two snowboarding golds the US have already won at the Games.

Organising officials had been showing how pleased they are with the Games just minutes before the doping case was announced.

"From an IOC perspective, starting off after what was an extraordinary opening ceremony that really set the tone," Giselle Davies, IOC spokeswoman, told a news conference.

"On day six, we are now seeing the Olympic Games really getting into their stride. They are really focussing on sport and on the athletes which end of the day is what it is all about."