Ukrainian track and field star Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for testosterone, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Thursday.
The AIU, which oversees doping controls in athletics, confirmed Bekh-Romanchuk’s suspension took effect on Wednesday following the detection of the banned substance. The development comes just a day before the Diamond League meeting in Doha, Qatar, where the athlete was reportedly set to make her return to competition.
Bekh-Romanchuk, a two-time world championships silver medalist, has not competed since the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she finished 11th in the women’s triple jump final. Ukrainian media had hinted at her comeback in Doha, but her name was notably absent from the official entry list released on Thursday.
The 28-year-old has enjoyed a decorated career, claiming long jump silver at the 2019 World Championships, triple jump silver in 2023, and the European triple jump title in 2022.
In a separate announcement, the AIU also confirmed that Kenyan marathoner Nehemiah Kipyegon has been banned for three years after testing positive for trimetazidine, a substance prohibited in sports.
Kipyegon, who won the Munich Marathon in October 2024 during his debut over the distance, tested positive during a race in Nigeria in February. According to the AIU, Kipyegon admitted to using the substance, claiming he was unaware it was banned.
These latest cases add to the growing list of doping violations being handled by the AIU as it continues to crack down on anti-doping breaches in global athletics.
