The glow has almost completely dimmed from the halo of Johann Muehlegg, the German-turned-Spanish skier who had been the hero of the Olympic cross-country competition, with news that the B sample of his urine test also came back positive.
The International Olympic Committee's medical commission released news of the result to Spain's state secretary for sport, Juan Antonio Gomez Angulo, on Tuesday.
"It's no surprise because, in reality, it's not a counter-analysis, but rather the same analysis from Feb. 21 done in the same laboratory by the same doctor and with the same system," Gomez Angulo told the Spanish national news agency, Efe.
Muehlegg won his third gold medal of the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics by staging a stunning come-from-behind win in the marathon of the Winter Games, the men's 50-kilometre classical event, on Saturday.
A pre-event blood test revealed an illegally high concentration of red blood cells, which boost the blood's capacity to carry oxygen to muscles, but the red blood cell count was with legal limits in a subsequent test, and Muehlegg was cleared to compete.
However, the post-competition testing revealed the presence of darbepoetin, a new substance with the same effects as EPO, namely the boosting of red blood cells, which is a great benefit to endurance athletes. Muehlegg was stripped of his medal in the 50km event and banned from the remainder of the Games, although he was permitted to keep the gold medals he won earlier in the 10km and 30km freestyle events -- the first Winter Olympic gold medals won by Spain since 1972.
Russian cross-country legend Larissa Lazutina was also forced to relinquish her gold in Sunday's 30km classical race after testing positive for darbepoetin.
The 31-year-old Muehlegg, nicknamed the Spanish Bull for his raw power, could be suspended for two years.
Muehlegg, who maintained earlier that the abnormally high red blood cell count could have been caused by changes in his diet and a bout of diarrhoea in the days leading up to the event, was not part of the national delegation that returned to Spain on Tuesday.
The German-born Muehlegg, who opted to immigrate to Spain after repeated dissatisfaction with the treatment he received from Germany's skiing federation, was scheduled to be given a hero's welcome, but a reception with King Juan Carlos was cancelled by the royal palace on Monday.