SOFIA, July 21: Bulgaria's athletics federation has denied any wrongdoing after clearing two athletes of doping violations. High jumper Venelina Veneva and Vanya Stambolova, who competed in the 400 metres and 400 metres hurdles, tested positive for testosterone or its precursors in Budapest on Jan 24.

Veneva also provided a further positive sample from an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) out-of-competition doping control conducted on Feb 2 in Sofia.

Both female athletes were provisionally suspended by the Bulgarian Athletics Federation in April but the bans were lifted after a disciplinary hearing this week.

“We took our decision after we examined closely the Lausanne WADA accredited laboratory's analysis,” federation president Dobri Karamarinov said on Friday. “There was not enough evidence to proceed against the athletes and we can't suspend them.”—Reuters