Soboleva shocked by doping decision

Russian 1500 metres runner Yelena Soboleva has hit out at the IAAF’s decision to suspend her and six team-mates for doping offences ahead of the Olympic Games, insisting the allegations made against them are “not realistic”.

Soboleva, the world indoor 1500m champion, was due to compete at the Games in Beijing but now looks set to miss out along with four other Russian Olympic hopes after athletics’ world governing body handed down the punishments yesterday.

Discus thrower Darya Pishchalnikova, hammer thrower Gulfiya Khanafeyeva and distance runners Tatyana Tomashova and Yulia Fomenko were all set for Beijing, while non-Olympians Svetlana Cherkasova and Olga Yegorova were also implicated.

The seven have been charged under IAAF rules 32.2 (b) and 32.2 (e) for a “fraudulent substitution of urine which is both a prohibited method and also a form of tampering with the doping control process”, according to a statement from the IAAF.

The 25-year-old Soboleva – the world leader over 800m and 1500m this year – has questioned the IAAF’s ruling, however, insisting that tampering would be difficult as athletes are under close observation during doping tests.

“I’m fully shocked and full of emotions,” Soboleva told All-Sport.

“I do not understand the whole situation, how we could do something with the sample as we are for the whole procedure keenly observed by a officer. That is not realistic.

“I was tested many times in recent times and all tests gave negative results.

“It is very difficult for me to speak about it – I was preparing for many years for this Olympic Games.”

Soboleva yesterday vowed she would fight the provisional suspension.

The athletes have up to 14 days to request a hearing with the national member federation. If a hearing is requested, it must be held within a period of two months.