Two-year doping ban for Russian pole vaulter

Moscow, April 17 (IANS): The Russian Athletics Federation has banned pole vaulter Ivan Gertlein for two years after he tested positive for steroids.

Gertlein, who won team bronze at the Russian championships in Sochi last year, failed a drug test October 15, 2012 and was suspended from competition a few weeks later by the country’s anti-doping agency.

Federation officials said Gertlein had elevated levels of the testosterone booster DHEA. The 25-year-old’s ineligibility is back dated to October 31, 2012, and ends October 30, 2014.

Gertlein has a personal best of 5.55 meters, and is ranked by the athletics federation as Russia’s ninth-best vaulter. He was placed 11th in the individual national championship last year.