Posted: October 21, 2005

Athletics: Sun Loses Medal After Positive Doping Test

From David Monti

© 2005 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

The Xinhua News Service reported today that Chinese distance star, Sun Yingjie, failed a doping test at the Chinese National Games and was stripped of the silver medal she earned in the 10,000m.

"Sun tested positive for the banned androsterone in the dope test conducted after the women's 10,000m final on Monday night," the news service quoted Guo Jianjun, deputy secretary-general of the organizing committee of the National Games, as saying.

The results of drug tests are not usually known immediately, even in major championships, as the samples must be sent to an accredited laboratory. However, at the National Games an IOC-accredited laboratory in Beijing was used.

Ironically, Sun passed her doping control at the Beijing Marathon which occured only one day before, last Sunday, which served as the marathon championship for the National Games. She will be allowed to keep that gold medal, Games organizers told Xinhua.

Sun now faces disciplinary action from her federation and a possible ban. She is the Asian record holder in the marathon (2:19:39), the IAAF World Half-Marathon champion in 2004, and the 2003 World Championships bronze medalist at 10,000m.