Moscow - Two Russian biathletes who tested positive at the recent national championships were named by Russian news agency RIA Novosti Tuesday as Andrey Prokunin und Veronika Timofeyeva. The agency cited confidential sources for its report but there was no comment from the Russian biathlon federation.

A-samples of the two skiers tested positive for the blood-booster EPO, it was reported. Follow-up B-samples will be returned next week.

Russian biathletes Ekaterina Iourieva, Albina Akhatova and Dmitri Yaroshenko were tested positive for the same drug at the biathlon World Cup season-opener in Ostersund, Sweden, last December.

The trio were identified as drug cheats after the examination of their B-samples ahead of February's world championships in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Prokunin, 30, was a member of the Russian relay team which finished fourth at the 2001 world championships. Timofeyeva, 27, was second at the 2003 Universiade in Tarvisio, Italy.

Both have rejected the doping allegations, RIA Novosti reported. (dpa)