Banned Russian athlete and former Olympic 400 metres hurdles champion Natalia Antyukh has had her results from July 2012 to June 2013 disqualified, including her Olympic gold, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said.
Photo: FRANCK FIFE
Antyukh, 41, won the gold at the London Olympics in August 2012, beating American Lashinda Demus, who will be upgraded to the gold if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) acts on the AIU ruling.
"Following AIU charges based on LIMS data, Russian athlete Natalia Antyukh has been banned for the use of a Prohibited Substance/Method. DQ results from 15 July 2012 until 29 June 2013," the AIU said in a statement.
Antyukh is already serving a four-year ban until 2025 for breaking anti-doping rules. The ruling was handed down last year by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
At the time, CAS said all her competitive results from June 2013 through the commencement of the period of her ineligibility (April 2021) were disqualified.
Antyukh had also won a 400m bronze in 2004 and a silver in the 4x400m relay in 2008. She lost her 4x400m relay silver from 2012 when team mate Antonina Krivoshapka was found guilty of doping.
Several other Russian athletes have also had their medals from the 2012 Olympics stripped due to anti-doping rule violations.
The list includes Mariya Savinova (800m), Olga Kaniskina (20 km walk), Svetlana Shkolina (high jump), Tatyana Lysenko (hammer throw), Darya Pishchalnikova (discus throw) and Tatyana Chernova (heptathlon).
In the men's track and field events, Russian Sergey Kirdyapkin (50 km walk) and Ivan Ukhov (high jump) had their medals stripped.
- Reuters