‘I’m Not a Drug Cheat’: Bekh-Romanchuk Denies Doping as AIU Hands Down 4-Year Ban
Ukrainian track and field star Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk has been banned for four years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) following a positive test for exogenous testosterone.
The sanction, which began on May 13, 2025, disqualifies all her results from December 7, 2024—the date her out-of-competition sample was collected in Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine.
Bekh-Romanchuk, a two-time World Championship silver medalist in long jump and triple jump, and a finalist at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has strongly denied knowingly using any banned substances.
‘I’m not a drug cheat,’ she insisted, maintaining that she had checked all her medications against the WADA Prohibited List and had no explanation for the Adverse Analytical Finding.
The AIU’s investigation revealed the presence of testosterone metabolites—5αAdiol and 5βAdiol—consistent with external origin, confirmed through advanced isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS).
Despite requesting a B Sample analysis and submitting medical records, Bekh-Romanchuk failed to establish a credible source for the prohibited substance.
Her defense included an expert opinion suggesting her medical condition and treatment could explain elevated endogenous testosterone levels.
However, the AIU clarified that the violation was based on the detection of exogenous testosterone, not natural hormonal fluctuations.
After missing multiple deadlines to respond to the formal charge or request a hearing, Bekh-Romanchuk was deemed to have accepted the consequences under anti-doping rules.
The AIU finalized its decision on August 18, 2025, imposing a four-year period of ineligibility that will run through May 2029.
The ban could effectively end the 30-year-old’s elite career, ruling her out of two World Championships and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Bekh-Romanchuk, who is married to Olympic swimmer Mykhailo Romanchuk, expressed emotional exhaustion and disappointment in a her statement to the AIU, saying she would take a break from athletics to focus on her family and health.
