Ukrainian heptathlon silver medallist Lyudmila Blonska has been provisionally suspended from the Beijing Games over a positive doping test, the International Olympic Committee said on Thursday, dpa reported.
The move was made to prohibit her from competing in Friday's long jump final after Blonska's a and b samples, taken after Saturday's end of the heptathlon, were positive for the steroid methyltestosterone.
"The Disciplinary Commission decided to provisionally suspend Lyudmila Blonska from all competitions with immediate effect and to provisionally cancel her accreditation, until the final decision has been pronounced by the IOC executive board," said Emmanuelle Moreau, an IOC spokeswoman.
The athletics body IAAF said that Blonska's place in the long jump final will be taken by Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria. The executive board decision was expected later Thursday or Friday.
Blonska has reportedly already left the Olympic village and returned her Olympic accreditation.
The 30-year-old faces a life ban for her offence because it is her second positive test. Blonska was banned 2003-2005 after being caught using the steroid stanozolol.
Blonska finished second at the Olympic heptathlon behind compatriot Natalya Dobrynska and will be stripped of the medal if she is confirmed to have committed an offence.
American champion Hyleas Fountain was third in the heptathlon and Tatiana Chernova of Russia fourth.