LONDON -- Swedish hockey star Nicklas Backstrom will receive an Olympic silver medal even though he was suspended from the final in Sochi after a positive drug test. The International Olympic Committee ruled Friday that Backstrom had not intended to enhance his performance, laying the blame for his positive test for pseudoephedrine on the Swedish team doctor. The Washington Capitals centre was suspended and pulled from the team just hours before the Feb. 23 gold-medal game, which Sweden lost 3-0 to Canada. The Swedes were outraged by the timing of the decision and said it affected the teams performance. The IOC defended the suspension, saying it was "fully justified" because of the positive test and noting that Backstrom conceded also taking the allergy medication on the day of the final. But the IOC ruled that the player should not be kicked out of the Sochi Games altogether, citing "mitigating circumstances." "There was no indication of any intent of the athlete to improve his performance by taking a prohibited substance," the IOCs three-person disciplinary commission said. "As a consequence, the athlete is entitled to receive the silver medal and diploma awarded in respect of the mens ice hockey event." Backstrom tested positive for excess levels of pseudoephedrine after Swedens win over Slovenia in the quarter-finals on Feb. 19. He said the stimulant was contained in "Zytec-D," a medication he had been taking for allergies. The IOC said the positive result in the "A" sample was confirmed on the morning of Feb. 23. A hearing with Backstrom and Swedish team officials was quickly assembled. Among those attending was Bjorn Waldeback, the Swedish hockey team doctor and chief medical officer of the Swedish Olympic Committee. The IOC said Backstrom had "nothing to hide" and explained he had been taking the allergy medication regularly for seven years on the advice of a doctor and had never produced a positive test. He said he had taken the medication earlier that day. The IOC said Backstrom told the panel he knew the medication contained pseudoephedrine but relied on Waldebacks advice that the dosage would not trigger a positive test. Waldeback said he was "at fault" for that advice. Backstroms backup "B" sample was tested later on Feb. 23 and also came back positive. The IOC ruled that Backstrom committed an anti-doping violation by having the banned substance in his system. But the panel said he had been "open and co-operative," had disclosed the medication on his doping control form and had relied on Waldebacks advice. The IOC ruled that Waldeback "made a serious error" by telling Backstrom his use of the medication would not result in a positive test. If the doctor applies for Olympic accreditation in the future, the IOC should "seriously consider" his role in the case, the panel said. The IOC said the decision "should in no way" be seen as taking away from the responsibility of athletes to be vigilant and ensure that no prohibited substances enter their body. Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic . Kenny Miller scored from the penalty spot and Camilo Sanvezzo came off the bench to add two late goals as the Whitecaps kept their playoff hopes alive with a 3-0 victory over the sagging Impact on Saturday afternoon. Cheap MLB Jerseys . "I met her, I think, a week ago. We went to a Norwood hockey store and picked her out some gear. http://www.cheapstlouiscardinalsjerseys.com/.com) - The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings are ready to put all the talk and hype surrounding their meeting at Dodger Stadium behind them. Cheap St. Louis Cardinals Jerseys . -- Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana agreed Tuesday to a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles as he tries to come back from the second major operation on his left shoulder. Cheap Mark McGwire Jersey . Auld made 37 saves in a 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday. It was Ottawas first game without starter Anderson, who is out indefinitely after cutting his hand Wednesday night, and it was evident the team wasnt sure how to deal with the change in goal.Pat Coyle and Chris Hall have been voted into the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame as inductees of the Class of 2014. Coyle becomes the first defenseman in league history to win induction while Hall was elected in his first year of eligibility. Coyle played 12 seasons in the league including seven seasons with the Toronto Rock from 1998-2004 and four years with the Colorado Mammoth from 2005-2008. The defender played in 156 career regular season games, recording 940 loose balls and 133 points. The Orangeville, Ontario native won the leagues Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2002, the first year in which the award was given. Coyles teams made it to the playoffs in 11 of his 12 seasons where he posted 12 points along with 116 loose balls in 18 games played and won five championships (Toronto 1999-2000, 2002-2003 and Colorado 2006) in six Championship Game appearances. Coyle currently serves as an associate head coach with the Mammoth. Hall served as a head coach in the league for 12 seasons, first with the Calgary Roughnecks from 2002-2007 before finishing his ccoaching career with the Vancouver Stealth franchise from 2009-2014.dddddddddddd Halls 85 regular-season wins ranks third all-time behind Darris Kilgour (121) and Les Bartley (93). With an 11-6 career record in the postseason, Halls 11 playoff wins rank fourth all-time behind Bartley (22), Troy Cordingley (12) and Kilgour (12). In 2010, Hall became just the second coach in NLL history to win the Champions Cup with two different teams as he led the Stealth to its first-ever title after winning it all with Calgary in 2004. The Stealth reached the championship game in three of four seasons from 2010-2013 and Hall was a co-recipient of the 2010 NLL Head Coach of the Year award. Following his retirement from coaching at the end of the 2014 season, Hall enters his first year as Senior Advisor to the President with the Stealth. The five finalists for the Class of 2014 were selected last month by the leagues Hall of Fame Committee. The other three finalists included Jake Bergey and two automatically returning from last years ballot in Pat McCready and Kaleb Toth. 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