VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — European marathon champion Zivile Balciunaite of Lithuania has denied allegations by the IAAF that she took performance-enhancing drugs.
The International Association of Athletics Federations last week informed Lithuania’s athletics association that a urine sample taken from the 31-year-old runner after her victory at the European Championships in Barcelona contained excessive levels of testosterone and epitestosterone.
Balciunaite said in a radio interview Tuesday that she’s never engaged in doping and that the test may have been influenced by a prescription drug from her gynecologist.
The runner has been suspended during the investigation, which is expected to end in December. She faces a two-year ban if found guilty.
