Nov-8-2012

Russia's Abitova Handed Two-Year Doping Ban
by David Monti
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

(08-Nov) -- The Russian athletics federation (VFLA) announced yesterday that marathoner Inga Abitova had received a two-year ban for doping and that her results from 10 October, 2009 had been annulled. Her suspension began on 11 October, 2012.

Abitova, 30, was convicted of doping on the basis of an "abnormal hemoglobin profile in her biological passport," according to a statement posted on the federation's website. Her conviction strips her of four valuable podium finishes, including a second place finish at the 2010 Virgin London Marathon and a silver medal at the 2010 European Championships where she competed in the 10,000m. She also loses her victory at the 2009 Yokohama Women's Marathon.

Under the biological passport program, changes in athlete blood values are monitored over a period of years, and doping convictions are based on variations which can only be explained by either the use of drugs or blood manipulation, such as receiving an infusion of an athlete's own blood which has been "spun" to increase the concentration of oxygen-carrying red cells.

Abitova's results from the following competitions have been annulled; new podium finishers have been noted:

2009:
11-Oct: IAAF World HM Champs, Birmingham, GBR; 1:09:53 (9)
15-Nov: Yokohama Women's Marathon, Yokohama, JPN; 2:27:18 (1)
[1st place now Kiyoko Shimahara, JPN; 2nd Catherine Ndereba, KEN; 3rd Bruna Genovese, ITA]

2010:
25-Apr: Virgin London Marathon, London, GBR; 2:22:19 (2)
[2nd place now Aselefech Mergia, ETH; 3rd Bezunesh Bekele, ETH]
28-Jul: European Championships 10,000m, Barcelona, ESP; 31:22.83 (2)
[New medalists Jessica Augusto, POR, silver; Hilda Kibet, NED, bronze]
05-Sep: adidas Women's 5-K Challenge, London, GBR; 16:05 (8)
07-Nov: ING New York City Marathon, New York, USA; 2:29:17 (4)

2011:
17-Apr: Virgin London Marathon, London, GBR; 2:26:31 (15)
06-Nov: ING New York City Marathon, New York, USA: DNF

2012:
22-Apr: Virgin London Marathon, London, GBR; DNF
11-Jun: Russian 10,000m Championships, Moscow, RUS; 31:55.97 (3)
[3rd place now Alina Prokopeva]
04-Jul: Russian 5000m Championships, Cheboksary, RUS; 15:26.19 (6)