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 Sources within the World Marathon Majors, the series of the five
richest big-city events, said the International Association of
Athletics Federations (IAAF) may be acting in breach of its own
rules by reinstating an athlete before he or she has returned money
won from their events.
Shobukhova's best marathon time of two hours 18 minutes 20 seconds
made her the second fastest woman ever but checks on her biological
passport found abnormalities.
She was banned for three years and two months and all her race
results after October 2009 were annulled.
The IAAF's Rule 40 (12) states that as a condition to regaining
eligibility an athlete "must repay any and all prize money that he
has received in relation to performances incompetitions" from the
date of the first adverse doping finding. WADA, the World
Anti-Doping Agency, and the IAAF announced on Monday that
Shobukhova's ban has been reduced by seven months after she provided
"substantial assistance", adding that she would be able to compete
again immediately.
"She accepted from the outset that she had committed an anti-doping
rule violation," WADA said.
"The information and documentation provided by Ms Shobukhova has
been of substantial value in uncovering and investigating
anti-doping rule violations committed by other individuals,
including athlete support personnel."
The 37-year-old Shobukhova will not be running in this year's New
York, Berlin or Chicago marathons, however, as she has a life ban
from the World Marathon Majors, the series of leading big-city races
which also include events in Tokyo and Boston.
Another race in the marathon series, London, has started legal
proceedings to recover more than $1 million in appearance fees and
prize money from Shobukhova, who won the event in 2010 and finished
in the top three in 2009 and 2011.
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The Russian also won Chicago three times, 2009, 2010 and 2011, and
was twice winner of the Marathon Majors series jackpot, worth
$500,000 on each occasion.
None of that money has been repaid to the event organizers.
Nick Bitel, chief executive of the London Marathon who is in China
for the Beijing world championships, said on Tuesday that he will be
meeting IAAF officials this week to discuss the issue.
"Cheats should not be permitted to keep their ill-gotten gains under
any circumstances," Bitel told Reuters. "To us, Rule 40 is a good
rule.
"We are determined to make marathon running a safe haven from
doping. Shobukhova is still banned for life from taking part in the
London Marathon and in any of the five other marathons that make up
the World Marathon Majors," Bitel said.
(Reporting by Steven Downes, editing by Ed Osmond)
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