Athletics NZ 'incredibly annoyed' at positive dope test

Liza Hunter-Galvan admitted EPO doping. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand representative marathon runner Liza Hunter-Galvan has been suspended for two years from May 29 for an EPO anti-doping violation.

Hunter-Galvin, 40, a mother of four, admitted using EPO on three occasions - in February, March and in May, only three days before she returned a positive doping test.

She finished 51st in the Athens marathon and 35th at Beijing last August.

"Everybody is incredibly annoyed," Athletics New Zealand chief executive Scott Newman said. "It's very sad that one of our elite would choose to do this but we're not naive.

"We don't imagine that our athletes aren't exposed to this at most major international competitions and I guess some will be tempted for some reason. In this case Liza was tempted and we're incredibly disappointed about that."

There was no immediate comment from Hunter-Galvin.

Hunter-Galvan underwent an out-of-competition drug test on March 23.

A laboratory report of May 21 confirmed her "A" sample had tested positive for EPO.

On May 26 Athletics New Zealand applied to the tribunal requesting it consider provisionally suspending Hunter-Galvan - this occurred three days later.

Hunter-Galvan requested her "B" sample be analysed.

A laboratory report of June 29 confirmed the "B" sample had also returned a positive test.

The Sports Tribunal of New Zealand made the ruling today

Hunter-Galvin, a teacher who lives in San Antonio, Texas, was controversially rejected for selection for Beijing but appealed on the basis of her personal best marathon time of 2 hours, 30 minutes, 39 seconds.

- NZ HERALD STAFF, NEWSTALK ZB, NZPA