Bulgaria’s Naimova to Defend Herself over Doping Allegations in Sept

Naimova, 26, won the 60m title at the European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg in March. Photo by BGNES

Bulgarian sprinter Tezdzhan Naimova, who faces a life ban for doping, has asked to make her case in front of the country’s athletics federation no earlier than September.

“In her request Naimova said she wanted to have as much time as possible to better prepare her defence. We will schedule the hearing for September and announce our decision as quickly as possible,” Bulgarian athletics federation president Dobri Karamarinov told media on Thursday.

Two weeks ago the country’s athletics federation announced that Naimova has been temporarily suspended after testing positive for taking anabolic steroid Drostanolone at the European indoor championship in Gothenburg in March.

Naimova, who has been widely regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most promising athletes, could face a life ban from athletics as this is her second doping offence in four years.

Tezdzhan Naimova won the women's 60 race at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 7.10 seconds, nosing out Mariya Ryemyen of Ukraine.

France's Myriam Soumare was third, while Bulgaria’s Ivet Lalova ranked fourth.

If the charges are confirmed, Naimova will have return her European title.

At the beginning of 2009 Tezdzhan Naimova was banned for two years for manipulating a doping sample.

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