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| October 23, 2006 | Monday | Ramazan 29, 1427 |
Another athlete facing drugs test scrutiny
LONDON, Oct 22: British middle distance runner Becky Lyne has revealed that her build up to the Beijing Olympics is under scrutiny after forgetting to appear for mandatory drugs tests.
Lyne, the European 800 metres bronze medallist who last week was voted Britain's female athlete of the year, has missed two out of competition tests.
Missing just one more would mean that she would likely suffer the same fate as British team-mate Christine Ohuruogu, who has been banned for a year and ruled out of the Olympics after being suspended by UK Athletics for missing three out of competition drugs tests within an 18-month period.
Judoka Peter Cousins, powerlifter Gillian Wright and world triathlon champion Tim Don have also received suspensions for falling foul of UK Sport's ‘three strikes and you're out’ anti-doping policy.
Ohuruogu, the 22-year-old Commonwealth Games champion, had been touted as a potential star of the 2008 Olympics.
However she has been left appealing the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne over a sanction which could also bring a lifetime ban from the Olympics under British Olympic Association rules.
Understandably, Lyne says she is being extra careful not to miss a third drugs test.
“It's true that I've missed two tests and I'm very ashamed of the fact that I'm in this tricky situation,” Lyne said in The Sunday Times. “I know the tests have to be carried out in order to catch the cheats but I don't want to be branded a cheat for having missed two tests.”—AFP
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