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Former world champ Kostner banned 16 months

Carolina Kostner leaves the Olympic Stadium, in Rome, Friday, Jan. 16, 2015. Former figure skating world champion Carolina Kostner was questioned and is expected to face a verdict by an Italian Olympic Committee prosecutor over whether she was complicit in doping by her former boyfriend and Olympic race walking gold medalist Alex Schwazer. Kostner, the 2014 Olympic bronze medalist and 2012 world champion, is being asked about reports that she told judicial officials she helped Schwazer evade a test and knew he slept with a banned altitude machine. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Carolina Kostner leaves the Olympic Stadium, in Rome, Friday, Jan. 16, 2015. Former figure skating world champion Carolina Kostner was questioned and is expected to face a verdict by an Italian Olympic Committee prosecutor over whether she was complicit in doping by her former boyfriend and Olympic race walking gold medalist Alex Schwazer. Kostner, the 2014 Olympic bronze medalist and 2012 world champion, is being asked about reports that she told judicial officials she helped Schwazer evade a test and knew he slept with a banned altitude machine. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

By Associated Press January 16, 2015 1 min read

ROME (AP) – Former figure skating world champion Carolina Kostner has been banned for 16 months for her role in the doping case involving her ex-boyfriend and Olympic race walking gold medalist Alex Schwazer.

The Italian Olympic Committee’s anti-doping prosecutor had originally recommended that Kostner be banned for four years and three months for helping Schwazer evade a test and other infractions.

The prosecutor changed his recommendation during Friday’s hearing, requesting a suspension of two years and three months. But the doping court decided on a sanction of one year and four months.

The ban starts immediately. It means Kostner, the 2014 Olympic bronze medalist and 2012 world champion, will be eligible for the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea

The 27-year-old Kostner was taking this year off from competition.