Song, Chinese athlete banned for doping

13.07.2008

CHINESE race walker and former Olympian, Song Hongjuan has been handed a four-year ban after failing a dope test in February. China is determined doping scandals will not blight next month's Beijing Olympics but Song's punishment is light compared to the life bans handed out to swimmer Ouyang Kunpeng and wrestler Luo Meng, who was also tested positive this year.

The 24-year-old Song, who was 14th in the women's 20km at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 15th in the same event at last year's world championships, tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) in Beijing on February 24.

"The IAAF has been informed by the Athletic Association of the Peoples Republic of China that the female athlete, Song Hongjuan has been found guilty of (a) doping violation," said the IAAF.

"In conformity with the IAAF Rules", it continued, the CAA had banned Song until March 25, 2012. EPO boosts the number of blood cells, which in turn enhances the body's capacity to use oxygen and is used mainly by endurance athletes.

China's sports ministry issued a "Measure for Punishing Doping Violations of Athletes of National Teams" in March, which said any national athlete who tested positive would be banned for life along with their coach.

A CAA official would not speculate on why Song had not been handed a life ban on Friday but did confirm that she had not participated in the Olympic trials.

"Despite the repeating warnings and multiple measures by General Administration of Sport and CAA, several cases of positive tests or athletes missing tests have occurred recently," read a notice on CAA website, which went on to say that anti-doping work within the Olympics team was being stepped up.