The Latvian men's hockey team was the Cinderella of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, reaching the quarterfinals and putting a scare into Canada before falling 2-1 to the eventual gold medalists.
In the two months since their tournament ended, two separate positive doping tests has put a damper on the wonderful two weeks the Latvians provided the hockey world.
On Friday, the IOC announced that*Ralfs Freibergs, a defenseman who played in five games, had his A and B samples test positive for an*anabolic androgenic steroid. He was tested*immediately following Latvia's elimination by Canada on Feb. 19, and after an April 4 hearing it was determined he should be punished.
According to the IOC ruling, Freibergs, who plays collegiately at Bowling Green,*will have his eighth place diploma withdrawn and he is considered "excluded" from the Sochi Games. He*could also face a two-year ban by the IIHF for first-time offenders.
Freibergs case was the eighth doping violation of the Sochi Games, a Winter Olympics record, surpassing the seven from Salt Lake in 2002.
Latvia now has had two players fail anti-doping tests since the Games. On Feb. 22, it was announced that Vitalijs Pavlovs had tested positive for the*stimulant methylhexaneamine, which he claimed was in food supplements recommended by the doctor of his KHL team, Dinamo Riga.

Because Latvia has had only two players fail anti-doping tests -- for now -- the team itself will not face any sanctions from the IIHF.
- - - - - - -
Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy