Doping tests on Camiro, the horse ridden by Norwegian Tony Andre Hansen in the Olympics team jumping event, have come back positive. Both the horse and rider have been suspended from further Olympic events and face losing the bronze medal if a second doping test proves positive.

Hansen, who is one of the world’s best equestrians, was barred from competing in the individual jumping competition, an event in which he had an excellent chance of taking home gold. Norway’s entire equestrian team is shell-shocked, unable to explain how an illegal substance got into their horse Camiro.

International Equestrian Federation (IEF) officials issued a preliminary report stating a banned salve that reduces pain, capsaicin, had been found on Camiro’s legs. Speaking to Aftenposten, Hansen said he could not understand why the salve would have been on Camiro’s legs because the horse was in excellent form at the time of the event. “I feel really down right now,” Hansen admitted. “This is a huge shock for me. I don’t have any explanation for how this could have happened, and I need time to figure it out.”

Although Olympic officials have yet to confirm that Norway will be stripped of its bronze medal in the team event, it seems likely. Three other horses from Ireland, Brazil, and Germany also tested positive in the A-test for capsaicin and were summarily suspended. Norwegian sports officials pride themselves on being leaders in the campaign against doping, so this news comes as a painful blow to their reputation.

Iceland lost, 28 – 23, in a game against a very strong French team in the play-offs for gold. The small Viking nation never showed its face, both in defence and offence, and complained that the lack of shots taken by the Icelandic goal-keeper helped France to shape their victory and win the gold.

It was not until the last 10 – 15 minutes that Iceland mustered some of the spirit that they had showed throughout the Olympics.

But even though the Icelandic team lost, they can be proud of their achievement and will proudly accept the silver medal.

The staff at IceNews sends their best wishes to the team and all Icelanders at the Beijing Olympics.

France leading 15 – 10 during half-time in Beijing and Iceland is not showing their best game against a strong France handball team. France has been showing the best game but Iceland seams to have lost the spirit they have had in this tournament.

France has been playing a very strong defence and while the Icelandic goal-keeper has only saved 2 shots the France keeper has taken 13 shots.

The Icelandic men’s handball team played a promising game in the Olympic semi-final at midday today (Icelandic time). In an overly exciting match they managed to beat the Spaniards 36-30 and move on to the final.

Starting the game by five successive scores, they increased the chances of getting Olympic gold medals and no Icelander doubted their victory over Spain although the score difference was equal at times.

Iceland has made it to the Olympic semi-finals once before, but did not win a medal. France defeated Croatia 25-23 in the first semi-final match earlier today.

The final between Iceland and France will be contested on Sunday 24 August.

The goals for Iceland
Gudjón Valur Sigurðsson 7
Logi Geirsson 7
Snorri Steinn Gudjónsson 6
Ólafur Stefansson 5
Asgeir Orn Hallgrímsson 3
Alexander Petersson 2
Sigfús Sigurdsson 2
Ingimundur Ingimundarson 2
Róbert Gunnarsson 2

According to a local newspaper MBL.is Bjorgvin Páll Gustavsson goal keeper of the Icelandic team stopped 18 shots htting the net.

And goals for Spain

Albert Rocas 7
Iker Romero 5
Carlos Prieto 4
Juanín García 4
Jon Belaustegui 3
Rubén Garabaya 3
Alberto Entrerríos 2
Demetrio Lozano 1
Raúl Entrerríos 1

Following Iceland’s 32-30 defeat of Poland early this morning, the country’s Olympic men’s handball team will now take part in the semi finals of the competition.

The parallel quarter final game between Spain and South Korea saw the Spanish win 29-24 and join Iceland in the final four.

Iceland will play Spain at midday (Icelandic time) on Friday. Iceland has made it to the Olympic semi finals once before, but did not win a medal. The other two semi finalists are Croatia and France, who will play each other earlier on Friday. The two winning teams will go head-to-head in the final on Sunday.

The two losing teams will also play each other to decide who walks away with the bronze. Already on record-equalling good form, the Iceland team is in confident mood for Friday. But handball is a lightning quick sport where small mistakes can punish just as much as acts of genius can reward.

Handball coverage will continue Friday on IceNews.

Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian won the bronze medal in the men’s Greco-Roman wrestling event in Beijing but then threw the medal away in protest over his controversial loss in the semi-finals.

Abrahamian believed he had beaten Italian Andrea Minguzzi in the 84kg division, but the match was given to the Italian who went on to win gold.

The local newspaper writes that controversy had been swirling around the bronze medal event before it even started. Abrahamian’s coach Leo Myllari got into a furious argument with the judges an hour before the Swede’s match, accusing them of being corrupt because they had deducted a point against Abrahamian late in the previous match with the Italian that ended up costing him a spot it the final.

“My semi-final round loss today was totally unjustified. The controversial ruling shows that FILA (the sport’s governing body International Amateur Wrestling Federation) does not play fair,” Abrahamian claimed at the time. Italian Minguzzi had a different perspective, however, saying “in sports I think it is appropriate to show sportsmanship and respect the result.”

Both Abrahamian’s coach Myllari and the Swedish wrestling team feel the judges’ verdict was unfair. The argument heated up so much that Myllari told the newspaper Expressen that they were planning to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Abrahamian threatened to boycott the bronze medal match and walk out, but changed his mind and competed, defeating Frenchman Melonin Noumonvi and winning his medal.

Denmark’s men’s handball team has beaten Germany 27-21, and will therefore join Iceland, South Korea and Russia from Group B in the final eight of the Olympic handball competition. The Danes, South Koreans and Icelanders end the group stage with six points each. South Korea is on top, Denmark second and Iceland third. The World Champions, Germany, are out and Russia advance instead, MBL.is reports.

Iceland’s next game will be against whichever team finishes second in Group A. The way things stand right now, it seems the opponents will either be France or Poland. The two countries have yet to play each other in their final group game. The Poles will secure the top spot with a win.

The Danes sent the Germans home with their six goal victory. Russia and Germany ended with the same number of points; and because the game between the two countries ended in a draw (24-24), all the teams’ competition goals were taken into account. On goal difference, the Russians ended with plus five goals and the Germans with minus four.

Norway’s women’s football (soccer) team wasted no time with the US, scoring the two fastest goals ever in a women’s Olympic football match. The Norwegians then kept the pressure on their opponents to finish 2-0 winners.

Norway and the US played their Group G opening match at the Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Centre Stadium. A communication blunder by the American defence allowed Leni Laursen Kaurin to slot one past the keeper after just two minutes. This goal set a new record for the fastest goal ever scored during a women’s Olympic game, beating the previous effort by Germany’s Pia Wunderlich, who scored after four minutes during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Things got worse for the Americans just two minutes later when a weak back pass was picked off by Norway’s Melissa Wiik. She curled a lovely shot past US keeper Hope Solo to make it 2-0. After these dramatic opening four minutes, the US regained their composure and began taking the game to the Norwegians.

The Americans had a couple of good efforts in the second half but were unable to find the back of the net. Norway looked the more dangerous going forward, however, and missed two excellent chances to put the game out of reach.

Sweden’s Olympic women’s football team managed to pull out an essential 1-0 victory over Argentina to keep their hopes of progressing to the next group stages alive, Yahoo! reports. The vital goal came from midfielder Milla Fischer in the 57th minute.

The game, which was played in Tianjin in extremely hot and humid conditions, put the players of both teams under pressure. Sweden controlled most of the match, rarely letting the Argentines progress past the midfield line. The first half was a relatively dull affair, with few chances by either side.

Sweden continued to control the game in the second half, despite temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius on the pitch. Players needed frequent water breaks, as they struggled to keep pace under the torpid conditions. Sweden’s big break came early in the second half when Fischer headed a spot kick past the keeper.

Sweden created a few more chances towards the end of the second half, and Argentina finally came to life with five minutes to go as striker Maria Potassa broke free in the box and beat the keeper only to chip the shot over the bar. Sweden lost their opener to China 2-1, so this win was a big confidence booster heading into the next match of Group E. Sweden will face Canada next.

The Icelandic men’s handball team defeated Germany yesterday at the Olympics in Beijing. Iceland beat the world champions 33-29 in an exciting game in front of a surprisingly and vocally pro-Icelandic crowd.

Iceland has won both of its opening matches in the Olympic competition so far and will now play Korea tomorrow (Thursday). After victories over Russia and Germany, the Icelandic team will go into the Korea match in confident mood.

However, Korea is also having an impressive championship so far and the South Korea national team is one of the best in Asia. Iceland will not have an easy match.

Icelandic goals in the match: Snorri Steinn Gudjonsson 8, Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson 7, Alexander Pettersson 5, Arnor Atlason, Olafur Stefansson 4, Logi Geirsson 3 and Robert Gunnarsson 2.