Hammered: Russian Olympic champion suspended over doping

Hammer thrower Tatyana Lysenko faces a lengthy ban in another blow to the country’s athletics federation – sidelined from international competition since November over state-sponsored doping and widespread corruption

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Russia's Tatyana Lysenko celebrating after winning the women's hammer throw final at the 2012 London Olympics. The two-time former world gold medallist, has been provisionally suspended for doping. Photos: AFP

Published: 12:30am, 6 Apr 2016Updated: 12:28am, 6 Apr 2016

Russian hammer thrower Tatyana Lysenko, the reigning Olympic champion and two-time former world gold medallist, has been provisionally suspended for doping, the IAAF said on Tuesday.

Lysenko, now known under her married name of Tatyana Beloborodova, tested positive after retesting of samples taken at the 2005 world championships in Helsinki, Russian media reported.

For Lysenko, a lengthy ban could await. The 32-year-old has already served a two-year ban after testing positive for a hormone blocker in 2007

The IAAF, however, specified neither the date of the positive test nor for what banned substance the hammer thrower tested positive.

The news comes as a further blow to Russian athletics, with the country’s federation sidelined from international competition since November over state-sponsored doping and widespread corruption.

Russia is now scrambling to get its house in order before an IAAF council meeting in May which will likely decide whether their athletes will be allowed to compete at the Rio Olympic Games in August.

Tatyana Lysenko winning the women's hammer throw final at the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow.

For Lysenko, a lengthy ban could be awaiting, the 32-year-old having already served a two-year ban after testing positive for a hormone blocker in 2007, shortly after she had won the 2006 European gold, having bagged a silver at the Helsinki worlds the previous year.