Bizarre twists in Yegorova saga

The seemingly ill-fated drugs test of Russian distance runner Olga Yegorova took a succession of bizarre twists in Edmonton over the weekend, gradually diverting the talk of track and field to talk of blood and urine.

For a change at least, the problem doesn't concern an athlete that was thrown out of championships, but rather one that was let back in.

Late on Saturday evening, just as the first full day of competition drew to a close, the IAAF announced, rather embarrassingly, that Yegorova was cleared to run in the 5,000 metres.

The decision was made despite last month's revelation that Yegorova had become the first athlete to test positive for the blood-boosting drug EPO (erythropoietin). The IAAF had suspended her from the competition while they awaited results on a second B-sample, and then suddenly the story that had threatened to fade away grew a whole lot bigger.

Originally it was disclosed that the first B-sample was rejected due to a technical error but now the IAAF claim there was a problem with the entire method of testing. According to their statement on Saturday, the test on Yegorova, carried out by French athletic authorities after she had won the 3,000 metres at the Paris Golden League meeting on July 6th, was only half a test.

This statement landed like a bombshell in Edmonton's press centre: "The IAAF has lifted the suspension of the Russian athlete Olga Yegorova, after receiving further information this morning regarding the validation of the testing system which led to the athlete's positive finding for EPO at the Paris Golden League."

And so the positive suddenly became a negative, not because EPO wasn't found in Yegorova's system but because the test, in the IAAF eyes, was slightly flawed. In other words, Yegorova - the current World Indoor 3,000 metre champion and favourite for the event - was cleared on a technicality.

Testing for EPO was first conducted at major championships at the Olympics last year where athletes were asked to provide samples of both blood and urine - the so-called Sydney protocol. It involves a screening of the blood sample to provide an indication of whether EPO was present in the athlete's body, and it would then be confirmed by a follow-up urine analysis before the athlete could be banned.

So far, that method of testing for EPO is the only one validated by the IAAF. Since Sydney, further scientific research has been undertaken to finalise a single urine only test. The research is believed to be complete, but the IAAF is still awaiting final validation - mostly on legal terms. In the circumstances, the IAAF believed "that the test conducted by the French authorities in Paris should not have been carried out".

Dr Arne Ljungqvist, the IAAF senior vice president, told a quickly assembled press conference: "Only the urine samples were positive so the test did not conform to the rules. Therefore the IAAF have no choice but to lift the ban. However, the athlete concerned will undergo further tests in these championships." Ljungqvist was not the only one apparently confused by the chain of events. President of the Russian athletics federation, Valentin Balakhnichev, didn't seem too clear on the matter either: "The B-samples were analysed by the lab in France and according to the results of the B-samples Yegorova will be cleared".

Yegorova has now been tested in Edmonton under the IAAF's use of the Sydney protocol of taking both blood and urine samples, yet there is little expectancy that it will support the Paris findings. It seems certain that the French anti-doping laboratory, situated at Chatenay Malabry, either failed to take the blood test or examined it in an improper manner. Either way, the test on Yegorova collapsed, forcing the IAAF to reinstate her entry for the 5,000 metres.

The question on everyone's lip then concerned Gabriela Szabo, who was well beaten twice by Yegorova this year. Earlier this week the Romanian had threatened to boycott the 5,000 metres heats on Thursday if Yegorova was allowed to run.

Three Irish athletes, Breda Dennehy-Willis, Maria McCambridge and Una English also go in the event. Now it seems certain Szabo will have to face her Russian rival if she wants to challenge for the gold.

That particular chapter won't end until the 5,000 metre heats on Thursday because in the meantime Szabo is concentrating on the 1,500 metres. After winning her heat in the race on Saturday, Szabo breezed through the mixed zone saying her "head is done in" but right now she's "running in the 1,500 metres".

According to Jos Hermans, the leading athletics agent and Szabo's manager, the news was disappointing but she still hadn't decided for sure what she will do about the 5,000 metres. "Well it's difficult for her right now but in the end it's her decision," he said.

"At this moment it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to boycott because you help Yegorova to get a medal. Personally, I think the career is too short to have it stopped like this. This situation is a setback for the sport but I hope it's a short one." The decision also has massive financial consequences for Yegorova who is now back in the running for the $60,000 gold medal prize as well as a potential share in the Golden League $1 million jackpot.

"I never doubted that the IAAF would follow the rules," was her reaction, "I can't explain this situation, but I was shocked when I heard about the positive test."

Yet the controversy surrounding her situation remains. Her time of eight minutes 23.75 seconds for the 3,000 metres in Paris was the fastest time by a European in seven years and just short of the 8:21.64 European record of Sonia O'Sullivan. She had also clocked 8:23.96 in Rome, making her the clear favourite for the 5,000 metres even though she hadn't run the event this season.

"The past winter was the first time I've been injury free and able to train and perform well," is how she explains her 30-second improvement in the event in the past two seasons, even though she's now aged 29.

But events of the past month are sure to leave a cloud over her performances in the coming days and perhaps the rest of her career.