Athletics: Suspicion of doping – Sofia Benfares also suspended

As of: February 29, 2024 12:00 p.m

A month after her big sister Sara, Sofia Benfares has now also been temporarily suspended due to suspected doping.

The middle distance athlete tested positive for the blood doping agent EPO, the National Anti-Doping Agency NADA informed the German Athletics Association (DLV) on Thursday (February 29, 2024). The Saarländischer Rundfunk and the Saarbrücker Zeitung initially reported on it.

Accordingly, NADA also filed a criminal complaint with the Saarbrücken public prosecutor’s office on the basis of the anti-doping law. Benfares won bronze over 3000 m at the U20 European Championships in 2023. There will be “no further statement from the DLV during the ongoing proceedings,” it said in a statement.

The DLV also announced that it sees itself in the role of “a consistent advocate of the anti-doping fight. Once again it has been shown that the control system works in the fight against doping. In 2015, at the request of the DLV, the anti-doping Introduced a law that allows criminal charges to be filed in the event of a violation of anti-doping rules.”

Sara Benfares also tested positive for doping

Sofia Benfares is three years younger than Sara Benfares, who was suspended at the end of January. The former World Cup participant had EPO and testosterone detected in a sample during a doping control. The Benfares sisters compete for LC Rehlingen, but they live and train near Paris under their father Samir.

A verdict in this case is still pending. Sara Benfares’ father Samir, who is also the sisters’ coach, said in a report from a French portal that his daughter had been diagnosed with bone cancer. The positive sample was due to the urgent taking of medication.