Swimmer Yulia Efimova of Russia won't compete in her country's Olympic trials after FINA decided to maintain her provisional suspension for failing a doping test.
The doping panel of the sport's world governing body said on Friday it would maintain Efimova's suspension until it conducted a hearing on the matter. FINA didn't indicate when the hearing would occur.
The Russian trials begin on Saturday in Moscow.
Efimova has said she tested positive for meldonium earlier this year, but she professed her innocence. The endurance-boosting drug was banned on January 1.
Efimova won a bronze medal in the 200m breaststroke at the 2012 London Olympics. She is a four-time world champion and is considered Russia's top medal hope in swimming for the Rio Olympics. Efimova, who trains in Los Angeles, has said she still hopes to swim in Rio.
She is facing a life ban, having tested positive for the banned steroid DHEA in 2013. Efimova had her two-year suspension reduced to 16 months after arguing she had taken the substance by accident while trying to buy a legal supplement.
FINA said it would have no further comment on Efimova's case until its doping panel made a final ruling.
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