Sun Yingjie suspended two years, coach in life ban
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-01-13 09:30

Chinese top distance runner Sun Yingjie has finally been handed two-year suspension for doping and her coach Wang Dexian suffered a life ban on second violation of antidoping rules.

The Chinese Athletics Association (CAA) announced their decision on Thursday and the two were also fined RMB 10,000 yuan each.

Sun, who tested positive in October at the National Games, will be banned from October 20th, 2005 to October 19th, 2007.

But Wang did not escape from a life ban since he had been involved in the 1995 doping case of runner Zuo Qingmei, also coached by him. He also lost the national head coach position with the ban.

Sun would have to take four tests during the two years to resume races on the expiration of the ban, according to CAA. The 2003 world championships bronze medallist would also face a life ban in case she failed or missed any test.

CAA spokesman Yang Lifeng told Xinhua that Sun and Wang's ban would not affect the training of national distance running team as another coach Hu Rong had temporarily taken charge.

He said that Olympic 10,000 meters champion Xing Huina, used to be coached by Wang, would be training with Hu for the moment.

Sun, 27, became the highest-profile casualty of China`s anti-doping campaign when she tested positive for the banned steroid androsterone last October.

She insisted that she was set up and won a court case in December against an athlete she accused of spiking her drinks, causing her to fail the doping test. But CAA upheld the ban citing that an athlete should be responsible for what he or she drinks.