IOC sanctions Liudmyla Blonska for failing Anti-Doping test

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced that Liudmyla Blonska, athletics, from Ukraine, has committed an Anti-Doping Rules violation at the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing. This decision follows a provisional suspension issued yesterday by the IOC Disciplinary Commission.

During the night of 16 to 17 August 2008, Liudmyla Blonska, 30, tested positive for Methyltestosterone.

After having heard the report of the Disciplinary Commission, the IOC Executive Board today decided:

The athlete Liudmyla Blonska, Ukraine, Athletics:

• is disqualified from the Women’s Heptathlon event, where she had placed second;
• is excluded from the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008;
• shall have her medal and diploma in the above-mentioned event withdrawn;
• shall have her Olympic Identity and Accreditation Card immediately withdrawn and cancelled.
• The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.
• The NOC of Ukraine is ordered to return to the IOC, as soon as possible, the medal and diploma awarded to the athlete in relation to the above-mentioned event.
• The NOC of Ukraine and BOCOG shall ensure full implementation of this decision.
• The NOC of Ukraine is requested to inform promptly the IOC and the IAAF of the outcome of the meeting scheduled on 29 August 2008 by the Ukraine Athletics Federation regarding Sergii Blonskyi’s case.
• The IOC reserves the right to take sanctions or measures in relation to the athlete’s coach, Sergii Blonskyi.
• This decision shall enter into force immediately.

Under the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, testing takes place under the auspices of the IOC from 27 July to 24 August 2008. Within that period, the IOC systematically performs pre- and post-event tests. After each event, the IOC systematically carries out tests on the top five athletes plus two at random.

So far, over 4,600 tests have been performed out of the more than 5,000 tests that the IOC anticipates to conduct throughout the period of the Games.

The full text of the decision is available here

IOC EXECUTIVE BOARD DECISION - LIUDMYLA BLONSKA (PDF)

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