Athlete kicked out for doping

The Paralympics suffered its second doping scandal in as many days Wednesday, with a German wheelchair basketballer kicked out of the event for taking a banned drug contained in hair loss treatment.

A statement from the German National Paralympic Committee said Ahmet Coskun had tested positive for finasteride after a pre-competition urine test on August 23. The substance is used in a drug against hair loss and is on a list of banned substances, according to the statement.

Coskun, 33, who played for Germany in three of Germany's pool matches but not in Wednesday's 73-63 win over Iran, will return home soon, German paralympic chiefs said. On Tuesday, Pakistani powerlifter Naveed Ahmed Butt, 37, tested positive for the steroid methandienone metabolites on September 4, two days before the opening ceremony.

Britain on top

Britain leapfrogged China to return to the top of the Beijing Paralympics medals table on Wednesday, as Poland's Olympic table tennis star Natalia Partyka prepared for her gold medal match. BEIJING, Wednesday, AFP