Finnish journalists sentenced

HELSINKI: Two Finnish journalists were sentenced to short prison terms plus fined heavily by a local court for wrongly accusing cross country skier Jari Rasanen of taking forbidden performance-enhancing drugs.

The two also have to pay Rasanen 350,000 Finnmarks 53,000, while the Finnish Ski Federation and others affected by the affair will receive 1.7 million Finnmarks.

Both journalists are expected to appeal the verdict.