Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk suspended 4 years after positive test

Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, a world championships silver medalist in the long jump and triple jump, has been suspended four years after testing positive for metabolites of testosterone.

Bekh-Romanchuk, a 30-year-old, three-time Olympian from Ukraine, returned the positive result from a Dec. 7 drug test.

She denied taking testosterone, speaking in a May 21 interview with anti-doping authorities. On July 9, she provided an explanation that a doctor alleged that her medical condition and treatment could explain an elevated level of (endogenous) testosterone.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), which handles doping cases in track and field, did not accept the explanation to affect the standard four-year ban.

Her suspension began May 13, the date she was first provisionally banned. She can appeal the ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“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,” was posted on Bekh-Romanchuk’s social media, according to a translation. “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. That’s why I decided to take a break to focus on my family and my own health. 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.”

Bekh-Romanchuk won world championships silver in the long jump in 2019 and silver in the triple jump in 2023.

Her best Olympic finish was fifth in the long jump at the Tokyo Games.

Her most recent competition was the Paris Games, where she placed 11th in the long jump after being sidelined by injury earlier in 2024.

Cooper Lutkenhaus finished second to Donavan Brazier in the U.S. 800m final.