Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, a Ukrainian track and field Olympic athlete has been banned for four years after testing positive for metabolites of testosterone.
Maryna returned a positive result from a test on December 7 last year. The 30-year-old has competed at the Olympics three times and has also been a silver medallist at the World Championships for long jump and triple jump.
However, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has banned her for four years after giving her until August 10 to admit to the violation, in which case she would have been given a one-year reduction.
Bekh-Romanchuk has denied doping, claiming that her level of testosterone was caused by an unspecified medical condition and treatment. She can still appeal against her ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
However, the AIU, who originally announced the case in May, say she has not proven her medical claim.
It could spell the end of her career at the top level as, despite placing 11th at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the triple jump final, she could miss out entirely on Los Angeles 2028, due to the ban only being set to expire in May 2029, which she will also miss out on two more world championships.
Commenting recently on her ban, before the AIU decision was announced, Bekh-Romanchuk said: ‘I can no longer fight on two fronts — my honest name in front of the Athletics Integrity Unit and my future in my personal life.
‘It’s incredibly exhausting, firstly emotionally and has an impact on my health. Sometimes it’s important to take a break and get your priorities right.”
“Soon the decision of the Athletics Integrity Unit will be published, with which I strongly disagree. I refused to sign any documents that required recognition of my guilt, because I am an honest person and my humanity and dignity are important to me.”
“It pains me that my case has been handled carelessly and not conducted the necessary investigation.” She stated.
