Japanese pleads innocence in Games' first doping case

PYEONGCHANG - Japanese short-track speed skater Kei Saito failed an out-of-competition doping test on the day of his arrival at the Winter Olympics and has been expelled from the Games, Japan team officials said on Tuesday.

Saito, a reserve athlete who had not yet competed in South Korea, was provisionally suspended after testing positive for masking agent acetalozamide.

A final ruling will be issued after the Games, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said.