KRASNOYARSK, May 2 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Biathlon Union has turned to the International Biathlon Union (IBU) asking to reduce the term of disqualification for Russian biathlete Olga Pyleva, a spokesman for Siberia's physical culture and sport agency said Wednesday.

Pyleva, 31, who won silver in the 15k at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, was ordered last year by the main Olympic executive body to leave Italy after testing positive for a banned substance. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped Pyleva of her medals and imposed a two-year ban on her participation in international biathlon competitions. The International Biathlon Union decided later in a closed session to back the two-year ban for the Russian athlete.

The spokesman said the Russian union sent to the IBU a package of documents, which prove that the athlete had been actively involved in anti-doping propaganda.

"The Russian Biathlon Union believes that Pyleva will be permitted to take part in official competitions in the coming winter season," the spokesman said, adding that the decision on her disqualification term may be made in June.

Nikolai Durmanov, the head of the anti-doping department of the Russian Federal Agency for Physical Culture and Sport, said last year that Pyleva did not know she was taking a banned substance, which was prescribed by her personal doctor.

Russian cross-country skiers Larisa Lazutina and Olga Danilova were also stripped of their medals and banned from participating in the sport for two years after they tested positive for doping at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.