Summer Olympics

World canoe body bans former Olympic champion for 4 years

Published Aug. 29, 2018 11:57 a.m. ET

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The International Canoe Federation has banned 2008 Olympic champion Inna Osypenko-Radomska for four years for refusing a doping test.

The canoe body says Osypenko-Radomska, who won medals at four straight Summer Games, refused to undergo an out-of-competition drug test.

The 35-year-old sprint kayaker won medals at each Olympics from 2004 to 2012 racing for Ukraine, including gold in K-1 500 meters in Beijing.

She then switched allegiance to Azerbaijan and won a K-1 200-meter bronze at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The ICF's general secretary Simon Toulson says: "A four year ban sends a clear message to all our athletes that they are expected to play by the rules."

Osypenko-Radomska can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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