3 Apr 2014

Athletics NZ unhappy with four year ban

2:08 pm on 3 April 2014

Athletics New Zealand is investigating whether it can appeal the decision by its international governing body, the IAAF, not to impose a lifetime ban on disgraced Belarussian shotputter Nadzeya Ostapchuk.

Ostapchuk, who initially denied New Zealand's Valerie Adams the shot put gold medal at the London Olympics, was stripped of her Olympic title after returning a positive test for performance enhancing drugs.

A subsequent test of a 2005 sample also recorded a positive test.

Ostapchuk has been given a four-year ban until August 2016 and will miss the Rio Games.

Athletics New Zealand chair Annette Purvis says they're not comfortable with a four-year ban for two doping breaches.