MILAN, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Italian ‌biathlete Rebecca Passler has been excluded from the Milano ‌Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics after testing positive for banned ‌substances four days before the start of the Games, Italy's National Olympic Committee (CONI) said on Monday.

Earlier on Monday the Italian anti-doping agency NADO said the ‍athlete had tested positive for banned substances ‍letrozole and methanol, becoming ‌the first positive test of an athlete sincenational teams have started ‍arriving ​in the northern Italian city for the February 6 start of the Games.