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‘Incredibly exhausting’: Olympic star to work as a model after copping four-year ban
@Source: news.com.au
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk is a three-time Olympian but will now have to fall back on her career as a model and influencer.
Bekh-Romanchuk, 30, was handed her ban after testing positive for metabolites of testosterone.
The Ukrainian returned the positive result in a test from December 2024, The Sun reports.
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She was a star of track and field, having won a silver medal at the World Championships in long jump and triple jump events.
Her ban has come despite the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) giving her until August 10 to admit to the violation.
If she had, then her ban would have been reduced by one year.
Bekh-Romanchuk has denied the doping offence and has claimed the testosterone level was caused by a medical condition and treatment.
She still has the option to appeal the ban in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The AIU had previously announced in May that the Olympian had not proved her own claims.
The ban is set to last until May 2029, which could ultimately end her career as an athlete.
She would miss two World Championships and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
Bekh-Romanchuk took to social media following her ban and stood her ground in denying the charge.
She wrote: “I have devoted my whole life to sports and fair fight. It hasn’t been an easy road, but I’ve always stayed true to my values and proved that fair sport is possible.
“In my career, there was not a single start that could be questioned, and I am proud of it.
“I can no longer fight on two fronts — my honest name in front of the Athletics Integrity Unit and my future in my personal life.
“It’s incredibly exhausting, firstly emotionally and has an impact on my health.
“Sometimes it’s important to take a break and get your priorities right.
“Soon the decision of the Athletics Integrity Unit will be published, with which I strongly disagree.
“I refused to sign any documents that required recognition of my guilt, because I am an honest person and my humanity and dignity are important to me.
“It pains me that my case has been handled carelessly and not conducted the necessary investigation.
“I understand that this raises a lot of questions – so soon I will be giving a big interview in which I will tell everything frankly.
“That’s why I decided to take a break to focus on my family and my own health. “
However, Bekh-Romanchuk does have some solace as she can fall back on her other career.
She works as a model and influencer with 491,000 followers on Instagram.
The stunning brunette has worked with Ukrainian brands such as Domino Group, Trihard and Fabric 17.
This article first appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission
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