Albina Khamitovna Akhatova (, ; born 13 November 1976) is a Russian (of Tatar origin) former biathlete. She was banned for two years for doping. Career At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, she won bronze medals in the pursuit and individual; she originally finished fourth in the individual but was promoted when her teammate Olga Pyleva was disqualified after failing a doping test. She also won gold, silver, and bronze medals in Olympic relay competitions in 2006, 1998, and 2002, respectively. Akhatova also won the gold medals in the mass start at the 2003 World Championship held in Khanty-Mansiysk. In 1999 in Oslo, she won the bronze medal, and in 2004 in Oberhof, Germany, she won the silver medal, both over the distance of 15 km. She also was part of Russia's winning relay teams at the 2000 and 2003 World Championships. After a break in the 2006/07 season, she returned in January 2008. At the 2008 World Championships in Östersund, she won the silver medal in the sprint and the bronze medal in the subsequent 10 km pursuit. Doping case On 13 February 2009 the IBU announced that Akhatova, along with teammates Ekaterina Iourieva and Dmitri Yaroshenko, had tested positive for EPO during the World Cup in Östersund. On 11 August 2009, each was banned for two years. See also List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences References External links 1976 births Living people People from Nikolsky District, Vologda Oblast Biathletes at the 1998 Winter Olympics Biathletes at the 2002 Winter Olympics Biathletes at the 2006 Winter Olympics Doping cases in biathlon Olympic biathletes of Russia Olympic gold medalists for Russia Olympic silver medalists for Russia Olympic bronze medalists for Russia Russian female biathletes Olympic medalists in biathlon Biathlon World Championships medalists Medalists at the 2006 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 2002 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 1998 Winter Olympics Russian sportspeople in doping cases Recipients of the Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" I class Recipients of the Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" II class Sportspeople from Vologda Oblast