July 21, 2008
By Bob Ramsak
(c) 2008 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - used with permission

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia -- As expected, the IAAF, track’s global governing body, will pursue the doping case of Slovenian distance runner Helena Javornik at the Court of Arbitration for sport, leaving the 42-year-old marathoner’s Olympic appearance in doubt.

Javornik, the national record holder in all events from the mile to the marathon, tested positive for EPO after the LCC Eisbarlauf Half-Marathon in Vienna in March, but she was cleared by the Slovenian Athletics Federation (AZS) June 19.

The decision by the IAAF to appeal the federation’s ruling means that Javornik will remain provisionally suspended until the case runs its course, which in all likelihood will keep her from competing in the marathon in Beijing.

Maintaining her innocence, Javornik told the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) that she will honor the suspension but will continue her Beijing preparation.

“I will continue training because I firmly believe the process will end in my favor,” she said, “because I have never broken any rules.”

Javornik acknowledged that a hearing and decision by the Lausanne-based body prior to August 17, the date of the Olympic marathon, is unlikely.

In March Javornik won the Treviso Marathon in 2:28:36 to earn her Beijing Olympic qualifier and as of yesterday was still on the Slovenian Olympic Committee’s provisional team roster.

In the ruling that cleared Javornik last month, Tadej Malovrh, the head of the Slovenian federation’s anti-doping commission, said that the value of the samples that the IAAF concluded were positive were well “below the standards set by WADA.” Upon Javornik’s invitation, Malovrh witnessed the testing of her B sample.

Javornik won the 5000m at the national championships on Saturday, running 17:12.15 against a modest field, her 39th national title.

ENDS