Heptathlon silver-medallist Blonska fails drug test
Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:56 am
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/aug/20/olympics2008.olympicsathletics6?gusrc=rss&feed=sport
Olympics: Heptathlon silver-medallist Blonska fails drug test
• Silver-medallist could be stripped of prize if found guilty by IOC
• Sotherton has been outspoken critic of Ukrainian rival
* Michael Phillips in Beijing
* guardian.co.uk,
* Wednesday August 20 2008 11:50 BST
* Article history
Lyudmila Blonska, the Olympic heptathlon silver medallist who has sparked the fury of Britain's Kelly Sotherton, has failed a drugs test here at the Games and is now facing a lifetime ban from the sport. Sotherton has been furious that the Ukrainian was allowed to return to athletics in 2006 following a two-year suspension for a doping offence.
But after finishing second here on Saturday night, a test conducted at 2am on Sunday has shown traces of the anabolic steroid Methytestosterone. Blonska is still waiting for the results of the B Sample. If that matches, she will be suspended for life for this second offence.
Lamine Diack, the President of the International Association of Athletics Federations, heard the news this evening when he was heading across to the Bird's Nest Stadium.
Diack said: "The procedure is running. The B sample will no doubt be opened today and tomorrow there will be a hearing."
Blonska, the World Indoor pentathlon champion, beat Sotherton into silver at last year's outdoor World Championships in Osaka.
When she finished second here, Sotherton, who was fifth, said: "I'm not happy that she competed again. We have rules in our country that we abide by, we don't bring anybody who cheated previously so why should any other country? That needs to change, but I am pleased that her teammate beat her."
Olympics: Heptathlon silver-medallist Blonska fails drug test
• Silver-medallist could be stripped of prize if found guilty by IOC
• Sotherton has been outspoken critic of Ukrainian rival
* Michael Phillips in Beijing
* guardian.co.uk,
* Wednesday August 20 2008 11:50 BST
* Article history
Lyudmila Blonska, the Olympic heptathlon silver medallist who has sparked the fury of Britain's Kelly Sotherton, has failed a drugs test here at the Games and is now facing a lifetime ban from the sport. Sotherton has been furious that the Ukrainian was allowed to return to athletics in 2006 following a two-year suspension for a doping offence.
But after finishing second here on Saturday night, a test conducted at 2am on Sunday has shown traces of the anabolic steroid Methytestosterone. Blonska is still waiting for the results of the B Sample. If that matches, she will be suspended for life for this second offence.
Lamine Diack, the President of the International Association of Athletics Federations, heard the news this evening when he was heading across to the Bird's Nest Stadium.
Diack said: "The procedure is running. The B sample will no doubt be opened today and tomorrow there will be a hearing."
Blonska, the World Indoor pentathlon champion, beat Sotherton into silver at last year's outdoor World Championships in Osaka.
When she finished second here, Sotherton, who was fifth, said: "I'm not happy that she competed again. We have rules in our country that we abide by, we don't bring anybody who cheated previously so why should any other country? That needs to change, but I am pleased that her teammate beat her."
