SOFIA, Bulgaria — Two members of Bulgaria's national weightlifting team were banned for life today and nine others suspended in a doping scandal that barred the team from the Beijing Olympics.

The entire 11-member squad tested positive in June for the steroid methandienone.

Georgi Markov and Alan Tsagaev received life bans because this was their second doping offense, the government's department for youth and sports said. Another six men and three women were suspended for four years.

The department said it was notified of the bans by the International Weightlifting Federation. Bulgaria's weightlifting federation must also pay a fine of $450,000 to the IWF.