Ukraine's Ryemyen New Champ after Bulgaria's Naimova Life Ban

Bulgaria's Tezdzhan Naimova (M) 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 (L). Photo by BNR

Ukraine's Mariya Ryemyen has become the new 60m European indoor champion after IAAF confirmed Bulgarian gold medalist Tezdzhan Naimova's life ban for doping.

Bulgarian sprint champion Tezdzhan Naimova will be forced to return her gold medal from the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, after her second doping offence was confirmed by the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Bulgaria's 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.

After Naimova was stripped of her title, Bulgaria’s top sprinter Ivet Lalova will be awarded the bronze medal.

Naimova was imposed a life-long ban after her second doping offense was confirmed by the country’s athletics federation on September 17.

At the beginning of June 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.

After reviewing the case, the Bulgarian athletics federation confirmed on September 17 the charges, imposing a life ban.

Naimova can appeal to the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, but does not want to, according to unconfirmed media reports.

Naimova has been widely regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most promising athletes.

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

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