Russian hammer thrower Gulfia Khanafeyeva, the world record holder in the women's event, has failed a doping test, the third high-profile Russian thrower to test positive.
The head of the Russian athletics federation (Valentin Balakhnichev) said Khanafeyeva tested positive for an unspecified stimulant at last year's Military Games in Hyderabad, India. Khanafeyeva's coach said she was taking an allergy drug that the World Anti-Doping Agency allows.
Russian officials are waiting for the results of her second test.
The 25-year-old Khanafeyeva set a world record of 77.26 meters in June of 2006. Two other Russian throwers - Tatyana Lysenko and European junior champion Yekaterina Khoroshikh have been suspended after testing positive for a hormone blocker. Lysenko has twice surpassed Khanafeyeva's record distance, but her throws have not been ratified.
The International Association of Athletics Federations has not ruled on their cases after experts could not decide if the drug found in their samples was on the banned list