German runner Benfares gets five-year doping ban
German distance runner Sara Benfares has been banned for five years for doping offences, the nation's anti-doping agency NADA said on Thursday.
The NADA said it went beyond the usual four-year sanction because of "aggravating circumstances."
It said that five forbidden substances were detected in three doping tests between last September and January, including the steroids testosterone and clenbuterol, as well as the blood booster EPO.
"It can therefore be assumed that the substances were taken and used continuously over a certain period of time," the NADA said.
"NADA Germany's determination of aggravating circumstances and the increase in the period of ineligibility from four years by one year is based on the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC) and is orientated towards comparable international case constellations."
The statement said that Benfares has the right to appeal the ruling at a German Court of Arbitration for Sport within 20 days.
The 22-year-old also faces ongoing legal proceedings because doping is a criminal offence in Germany.
Her lawyer, Dubravko Mandic, told broadcasters Saarändischer Rundfunk last month that she was ending her career. Benfares' father, Samir Benfares, had previously also told a French portal that she was no longer running after being diagnosed with bone cancer and taking medication.
The NADA is yet to rule on Benfares' younger sister, Sofia Benfares, who also failed a doping test, for EPO, last year.
The sisters grew up near Paris but compete for Germany.
Sara Benfares came 12th over 5,000m at the 2022 European championships and was aiming to compete at this year's Paris Olympics. Sofia Benfares was third over 3,000m at last year's European junior championships.
Along with their older sister Selma, they were kicked out of their German club, LC Rehlingen, in the wake of the affair.
