Ukrainian Jumper Bekh-Romanchuk Banned Four Years for Testosterone Doping

Ukrainian athlete Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk has been banned for four years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for testosterone in a sample collected in December 2024. The 30-year-old long jumper and triple jumper, who has won multiple medals including gold at the 2022 European Championships and silvers at the World Championships, denies any wrongdoing and disputes the AIU's findings. Her suspension, effective retroactively from May 13, 2025, also annuls all her results from December 7, 2024 onwards. Bekh-Romanchuk has decided to take a break from athletics to focus on her family and health, expressing the emotional strain of fighting the ruling and maintaining her innocence. This ban represents a significant setback to her athletic career, which has seen her ranked among the best triple jumpers globally with a personal best of 15.02 meters. The case highlights ongoing challenges in athletics related to doping controls and the impact on athletes' careers and reputations.