Marathon Star Shobukhova Banned
One of the most successful marathon runners in history, Liliya Shobukhova, of Russisa was banned on Tuesday for 2 - years by the national athletics federation.
The 36-year-old Shobukhova was banned based on abnormalities in the haematological profile of her biological passport, which indicates a high probability of blood doping.
The ban will start on January 24, 2013 and she will be stripped of all her results since October 2009 - including her 2010 London Marathon title. The Russian will also lose all three Chicago Marathon titles she won between 2009 and 2011 meaning her marathon best of two hours 18 minutes and 20 seconds, set in winning in Chicago in 2011 will be deleted from the record books.
She holds the European record over 5000m (14min 23.75sec) and 3000m indoors (8min 27.86sec).
The athlete still has the right of appeal but if the violation is confirmed she will also be required to repay all prize money and appearance fees from the past five years, including the million dollar jackpot she banked in 2011 as the overall winner of the World Marathon Majors (WMM).
