Pyeongchang, South Korea  - The world biathlon federation (IBU) announced on Sunday that Russian relay world champion Dmitry Yaroshenko failed a doping test in Oberhof in early January.

The IBU said that he has waived a B sample analysis and they now considered it to be a positive doping case.

"This case will be handed over to the IBU Doping Hearing as soon as IBU has received the complete documentation package from the laboratory," the IBU said.

This case will then be decided by the IBU Doping Hearing Panel.

Yaroshenko, who has now failed three doping tests this season, is one of three Russian biathletes who left the world championships before the start of the competition after testing positive.

The International Biathlon Union (IBU) said at the time that Ekaterina Iourieva and Yaroshenko each failed two tests at the World Cup season-opener in Ostersund, Sweden, in early December. Albina Akhatova submitted one positive sample there.

The Russians have denied doping and said they would contest any ban they receive. dpa