Half of a four year ban issued to Dr. Danijela Kuna, winner of the 2017 Linz Marathon, has been provisionally suspended due to ‘substantial support’ provided by the Croatian to investigations into a Balkan doping ring. Dr. Kuna was sanctioned with a four year ban after returning an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for darbepoetin (dEPO) at a post race test in Linz on 9 April 2017.

The ÖADR said that legal proceedings are ongoing against the two main proponents of a doping ring based in Slovenia, which also operated in Croatia and other Western Balkan countries. It said that investigations have not been completed and if proceedings fail to materialise, the suspended part of Dr. Kuna’s ban would be reactivated, and she would have to serve the full four year ban. 

No further details were announced by the ÖADR, which said that it cannot comment on ongoing investigations. Click here to download its statement in German.