This means Chepalova, who retired earlier this year, will not be making her planned comeback at the Vancouver Olympics next February. However, the 33-year-old insists she is innocent and will appeal at the court of arbitration.

“Naturally, I am not going to surrender. I think these people made a big mistake by choosing me as the object of their injustice. I always win. I proved it in sport and I will try to do it in life. We are going to appeal and will fight for the dismissal of disqualification,” Yulia Chepalova told Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.

Russia's skiing federation says it is a case she has to do individually with her lawyers, but they hope she is able to clear her name.