World indoor 1500 metres champion Abeba Aregawi has been suspended from Swedish athletics after she tested positive for a banned substance, the national federation said on Monday February 29,2016
"It is with dismay and extreme disappointment we have to make this statement," said national federation general secretary Stefan Olsson, without confirming the banned substance.
"We are totally opposed to all forms of cheating, doping and illicit substances. We have zero tolerance and this is totally unacceptable," added Olsson who two days ago stood by the athlete despite a storm over her Swedish citizenship and unpaid taxes.
A medical expert at the Swedish Anti-Doping commission told that Abeba Aregawi tested positive for meldonium.
A drug that increases endurance, meldonium was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances this year
The Swedish Olympic Committee (SOC) moved swiftly to withdraw their financial support for Aregawi and she is highly unlikely to be part of the Rio Games team.
"We have withdrawn the activity support we gave her with immediate effect and the situation regarding her place on the Olympic team is in quarantine as we wait for the result of the B test," SOC chief executive Peter Reinebo told
Having run for Ethiopia at the 2012 London Games, Aregawi began competing for Sweden later that year after being granted citizenship.
She won the world outdoor 1500m title in 2013.
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