Track and Field News: 22-Year-Old Athlete Handed 3-Year Suspension for Doping Violation

Uzbekistan athlete Farida Soliyeva has suffered one of the biggest setbacks of her athletic career. In a recent ruling from the Athletics Integrity Unit(AIU), Soliyeva was handed a ban from all forms of participation for three years. The athlete in question allegedly tested positive for the usage of a prohibited drug that was found in her system known as Meldonium. According to the reports, the ban would be effective from September 13, 2023. 

Shocking details emerge from the report

The AIU tested the samples of the DQ results from July 13, 2023, and came to the aforesaid conclusion. In what was an official X update from the Athletics Integrity Unit, the tweet read, “The AIU has banned Farida Soliyeva (Uzbekistan) for 3 years from 13 September 2023 for Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Meldonium). DQ results from 13 July 2023.”

Things started to go down negatively for Soliyeva while she was competing at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok. Getting a disqualification, the 22-year-old athlete was subjected to a doping test, for which, her urine samples were being collected. When the samples were sent for scrutiny at a WADA-accredited laboratory in Bangkok, things became darker for Soliyeva. 

The reports hinted at an adverse analytical finding, which was later revealed to be meldonium. Soon after the findings came to light, an investigation was launched that checked whether Soliyeva was prescribed to take the drug by a certified medical professional for her health. Well, needless to say, this was not the case and the investigators found no such Therapeutic Use Exemption. 

Now, there was only one thing that could have saved the athlete. Unfortunately for Soliyeva, the samples did not show any possible departure from the ISTI or ISL standards. Soliyeva was immediately informed of the findings and was asked to explain the same. 

The 22-year-old admitted the use of Riboskin for issues related to her heart. However, when the medicine could not provide her with the necessary relief, Soliyeva allegedly consulted another physician who advised her to take Ripronate. The AIU stated that Ripronate did contain the prohibited meldonium and asked for further details. 

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Soliyeva stated, “I am writing to inform you that in March 2023, I received the drug “Ripronate” in capsule form 500 ml gram level and took it 2 times a day for 15 days. I bought “Ripronat” without a prescription from one of the pharmacies in Samarkand city for about 90,000 or 100,000 soums.” Ultimately, Soliyeva was found guilty and she will now have to wait for 3 long years before she can attempt to wipe the red off her ledger.