Olympic Athlete Banned for Four Years After Doping Violation

Ukrainian track and field star Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk has been banned for four years after testing positive for metabolites of testosterone. The 30-year-old, a three-time Olympic competitor and a silver medalist in the long jump and triple jump at the World Championships, tested positive on December 7 of last year.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) banned her after she failed to admit to the violation by an August 10 deadline, which would have reduced her suspension by one year.

Bekh-Romanchuk has denied doping, attributing her testosterone levels to an unspecified medical condition and treatment. However, the AIU states that she has not been able to prove her medical claims. She can still appeal the ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The ban, which is set to expire in May 2029, could effectively end her career at the top level, as she will miss the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and two more World Championships. The athlete, who also works as a model and influencer with 491,000 followers on Instagram, recently celebrated her seventh wedding anniversary with her husband, swimmer Mykhailo Romanchuk.

Bekh-Romanchuk has publicly stated that she strongly disagrees with the AIU’s decision, claiming the case was handled “carelessly” and that the necessary investigation was not conducted.

Source: African Publicity