26 Jul 2012

9 track and field athletes banned in leadup to London

6:24 am on 26 July 2012

Even before the Olympic Games opening ceremony in London, the International Athletics Federation has revealed that nine track and field athletes have been handed lengthy bans for doping violations in the leadup to the Games.

They include two leading Moroccans ... the womens 1500 metres favourite Mariem Selsouli who had already served a two year suspension for doping, and now faces a lifetime ban. And the leading mens marathon runner Abderrahim Goumri.

All the athletes were caught with the aid of the Athlete Biological Passport programme, which is being used for the first time in London.