Two South Americans fail anti-doping tests at Pan Am Games

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South American cyclists Maria Luisa Calle of Colombia and Carlos Oyarzun of Chile returned positive anti-doping tests this week at the Pan American Games in Toronto and have been expelled from the event.

Calle, who was expected to defend her title in the women's individual time trial on Wednesday, returned a non-negative result from a post-competition test after finishing fourth in the women’s team pursuit. She withdrew from Wednesday's race upon notification of her failed test results.

The Canadian Olympic Committee confirmed that she had failed the test, but the statement did not reveal what substance was found. It has been reported that she returned a positive test for the GHRP2, an enhancer that releases growth hormones. The Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) Medical Commission is expected to confirm shortly, according to a report on the website Inside The Games.

Calle, 46, took the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in the points race in 2004, but she later returned a positive test for the banned stimulant Heptaminol in a doping test carried out by the International Olympic Committee. The test was later found to be faulty following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration, and the medal was returned to her. At the Pan Am Games, she has won the individual pursuit gold medal in 2007 and the individual time trial in 2011 and 2014.

Oyarzun, 33, returned a non-negative test during the Pan Am Games for the banned substance FG4592 (Roxadustat), a medication to treat anemia associated with kidney disease.

Oyarzun denied taking the substance and has requested the counter-analysis of his B sample. If found positive for the substance, he will face a four-year ban. The substance often does not appear in doping tests but can be detected by analyzing the biological passport of athletes.

Oyarzun is a road cyclist and was at the Pan Am Games to compete for his nation in the men's individual time trial. During his road racing career, he has competed for Movistar in 2011, and he currently races for the Serbian Continental team Keith Mobel-Partisan.