'I will not give up on Beijing,' says disgraced distance runner China's top distance runner Sun Yingjie has been suspended for two years for failing a dope test at the National Games. Her coach Wang Dexian has been banned for life for a second violation of the anti-doping code, the Chinese Athletics Association confirmed yesterday. In addition, Sun and Wang were fined 10,000 yuan each, the association said. Sun, who won a bronze in the 5,000m at the world championships in 2003 and is one of China's best hopes for a distance medal at the Beijing games, will be banned until October 2007. Wang was slapped with a life ban as he had a previous involvement in a doping case dating back to 1995, when one of his athletes, Zuo Qingmei, tested positive after the national marathon. Over the next two years Sun will be obliged to take four out-of-competition tests, and she will face a life ban if she misses or fails any test, the association said. Her ban comes after she tested positive for androsterone after taking silver in the women's 10,000 metres at the National Games - a day after she won the Beijing Marathon and passed a doping test. The 26-year-old has vowed to keep training during the period she is not allowed to compete and hopes to win a medal at the Beijing games. 'I will continue my training and try to achieve the goal despite all these frustrations,' she said. 'I will stick it out until the 2008 Olympics. I will not give up, no matter how much pressure I have to face. I hope to run in the Beijing Olympics and prove my innocence with a good result.' She added that Wang will continue to coach her, although they will not be training with the national team. Sun's mother was quoted in the local media recently as saying her daughter was training harder than ever, getting up at 5am every day to put herself through a rigorous workout. The vice-director of the association, Feng Shuyong, said they were pleased she was continuing her training. 'We have punished Sun Yingjie according to the regulations,' he said. 'She expects to take part in the 2008 Olympics and we welcome that attitude, but she must maintain systematic training.' Wang also coached Xing Huina, the gold medallist in the 10,000 metres in Athens, and officials are hoping his dismissal won't affect her performance. Yesterday the association announced that veteran coach Hu Rong would be taking over the helm of the women's middle- and long-distance running team. Sun's positive test descended into a veritable soap opera after she tried to dodge the suspension by arguing her innocence in a civil court in Heilongjiang. Her friend and training partner testified that he had found the banned substance in a public toilet near Tiananmen Square and had secretly put it in her drink because he wanted to help her. Although the court found in Sun's favour, the association said the judgment would not influence their decision as an athlete is responsible for whatever they drink. Then Sun's parents told state media that Wang had occasionally beaten their daughter and had kept some of her prize money, allegations he denies. Sun is the highest-profile athlete to fall foul of China's latest anti-doping campaign, when she was one of 27 athletes to fail a drugs test in the run-up to and during the National Games.
