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The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has decided to reduce guilty drug cheat Liliya Shobukhova’s doping ban.
Shobukhova’s ban was originally for three years and two months for the marathoner. She was given the ban because of abnormalities that were detected in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP). The suspension was to last to March 23, 2016. Not so anymore. According to the IAAF she gets off very early for cooperating with WADA.
Today WADA announced that Shobukhova’s sanction has been reduced by seven months, which means her ban ended yesterday.
According to WADA, “In light of the substantial assistance that Ms. Shobukhova provided in line with the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code), WADA has agreed to a seven-month reduction in the athlete’s sanction,”
The onus will now be on WADA to act on whatever information that the Russian provided against her country, which is already under investigation by a special sub-committee or task force that includes founder and former president of WADA Dick Pound. Pound is investigating Russia on the heels of the documentary that aired on German Television by ARD/WDR TV. In that documentary Russia is accused of systematic doping and claimed that over 90% of Russian athletes have doped.
World record holder in the marathon, Paula Radcliffe, who is very outspoken about cheating Tweeted, “Struggling with this. So you consistently defraud clean athletes then get reward for somehow helping protect them?”
Shobukhova had owned the second fastest marathon performance all-time behind Radcliffe at 2:18:20. This time is erased from the record books as part of the penalty for doping was to have her records removed dating back to 2009. Her official marathon personal best stands at 2:24:24.
Shobukhova won the 2010 London Marathon and placed second in the 2011 edition. She also won the Chicago Marathon in 2009, 2010 and 2011. She is the only marathon runner to win three consecutive times at Chicago.
