Russian swimmer gets 16-month doping ban

Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova has received a 16-month ban for failing a drugs test.

Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova was banned for 16 months on Tuesday for failing a drugs test, Russian media reported.

The international swimming federation (FINA) doping panel had provisionally suspended Efimova in January after samples she provided in an out-of-competition control last October showed the presence of a prohibited anabolic steroid.

The FINA ban runs until February 28, 2015, and all of Efimova's results from October 31, 2013 onwards, including the 200m breaststroke world record she set at the European short course championships at Herning, Denmark, in December, have been cancelled.

Efimova was reported to have accepted she was in breach of the doping code violation but presented a detailed defence and insisted she had not intended to enhance her performance.

Anatoly Zhuravlev, head coach of Russia's national swimming team, said he was satisfied with the verdict and had expected a harsher penalty.

"It's the good news as we expected a two-year ban for Yulia (Efimova)," he said.

"The verdict allows her to compete at the world championships at Kazan in 2015. She will continue practising in the United States as before and we (Russian swimming federation) will provide her with all possible support."

Efimova, 22, won the 200m breaststroke bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and also won 50m and 200m breaststroke world titles in 2013.


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Source: AAP


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