Greek Athlete Eleni-Claudia Pollack Banned from Paris Olympics for Doping
2024-08-09 00:47:26
Greek athlete Eleni-Claudia Pollack has been banned from the Paris Olympics for doping. The 27-year-old pole vaulter tested positive for banned substances during a routine doping test.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed the ban, stating that the presence of illegal substances was detected in Pollack’s body. As a result, he was expelled from the Olympic Village.
Prior to the ban, Pollack had already withdrawn from his event. He had cleared 4.20 meters in the qualifying round but needed to reach 4.40 meters to advance to the final.
Pollack maintains his innocence, claiming that the banned substances found in his sample were within the permissible limits. He attributes the presence of the substances to an iron deficiency, stating that he must eat red meat daily to address this issue.
Pollack is the fourth athlete to be banned for doping at the Paris Olympics. Earlier, judokas Sajjad Shehen and Shamim Faizad from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore from Nigeria, also tested positive for banned substances.