Nov. 05--Another recent Bank of America Chicago Marathon female medalist has reportedly run afoul of doping rules.
This time, it is Russia's Maria Konovalova, 41, Chicago runner-up in 2010 and third finisher in 2013. Konovalova also finished fifth in 2012.
News reports say Konovalova has received a two-year ban by the Russian Track Field Federation for irregularities reported in her biological passport due to doping. Her results dating back to 2009 have been invalidated by the Russian federation.
The international track federation (IAAF) declined to comment on the case.
Russia's Liliya Shobukhova was stripped of her three Chicago Marathon titles (2009-10-11) for doping. She is the only person to have finished first in the race three straight times.
Shobukhova, a three-time Olympian, also was found guilty of doping as a result of abnormal values in her biological passport, a doping control program in which measures of an athlete's blood and hormonal levels are tracked over time.
Kenya's Rita Jeptoo, winner of the last two Chicago and Boston marathons, also stands to lose at least the 2014 Chicago title and a substantial amount of money after testing positive in September 2014 for use of the blood booster, erythropoietin (EPO).
