Blonska on the verge of a lifetime suspension

Published on Thursday 21 August 2008 22:38

KELLY Sotherton's desire to see the back of Lyudmila Blonska has come moved closer after the Ukrainian's second positive drugs test was confirmed.

The heptathlon silver medallist, who has served a ban previously for a failed dope test, could now face a lifetime ban.

"The International Olympic Committee disciplinary commission held a hearing today in relation to her adverse analytical finding," an IOC official said. "The A and B sample analysis were positive for the substance methyltestosterone.

"At the end of the hearing ... the commission decided to provisionally suspend Blonska from all competitions with immediate effect and to provisionally cancel her accreditation, until the final decision has been pronounced by the IOC Executive Board."

Blonska came second in Beijing with a season's best score of 6,700 points, three places ahead of Sotherton.

She was also runner-up at last year's World Championships in Osaka, edging Sotherton into third with fellow Briton Jessica Ennis one place outside the medals in fourth.

At the time, Sotherton voiced her anger at Blonska's return and now the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist feels vindicated by the positive test.

She said: "I'm totally not surprised by the news. I've been saying all along that she got caught doping when she was scoring 6300 points, how can she not be doping and scoring 6800?

"If the B sample comes back positive then that's a life ban, which will bring an end to the saga – hopefully she will be finished."