Medvedtseva made the announcement after Sunday's mixed relay race at the World Cup finals in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, but said her mind has been made up for some time.

"This decision was taken not two days ago and even not two months ago," Medvedtseva was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency. "Preparing for the (Vancouver) Olympic Games I understood this would be my final Olympics."

Medvedtseva said her final two events will be the Russian national championships and an international competition in Kamchatka.

The 34-year-old Russian competed as Olga Pyleva at the 2006 Turin Olympics, where she was thrown out of the games and stripped of a silver in the 15K individual race after testing positive for the banned stimulant carphedon. Both Medvedtseva and the Russian federation have maintained she unknowingly took the banned substance when a doctor treating her for an ankle injury gave her an over-the-counter medication.

She was found guilty of a doping violation, however, and was given a two-year ban.

She gave birth to a son during her ban, before returning to the sport and getting redemption in Vancouver, where her perfect shooting helped Russia win gold in the women's relay.

She also won gold in the pursuit in the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

Medvedtseva said her decision to return to the biathlon circuit was driven by a desire to compete in Vancouver.

"I have gold in relay," she said. "For this gold I missed my family, worked hard and I won it. I think I finished my career on a high note."

Copyright The Canadian Press