Turkish marathon record holder banned two years for evading tests
The 37-year-old ran a time of 2:21:27 at the 2023 Valencia Marathon and skipped a scheduled out-of-competition test the following month
Photo by:
Simon Lamb/Flickr
On Thursday, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced a two-year ban for Turkish marathon runner and Olympian Sultan Haydar after she evaded an out-of-competition doping test in January 2024. She was provisionally suspended in June 2024, ultimately keeping her out of the European Championships and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The AIU has banned Sultan Haydar (Turkey) for 2 years and 6 months from 31 January 2024 for Evading, Refusing or Failing to submit to Sample Collection. DQ results from 31 January 2024
Details here: https://t.co/WY2JY3WOqk pic.twitter.com/8HbEZwRO9E— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) March 13, 2025
According to the AIU, Haydar missed a scheduled doping test while she was reportedly training in Ethiopia. Two months before her missed test, she ran a marathon personal best of 2:21:27 at the 2023 Valencia Marathon, where she placed sixth overall in the women’s category. Her time was well under the Olympic women’s marathon standard of 2:26:50 and positioned her for selection to Paris 2024.
Paris would have been the third Olympics for the 37-year-old, who previously qualified in Rio 2016 and London 2012 under the Turkish flag in the women’s marathon, finishing 72nd in 2012 and 111th in 2016 with times significantly slower than her personal best.
Athletes who evade doping tests are often trying to hide their use of performance-enhancing drugs or other banned substances.
Photo: cdephotos/Flickr
Haydar’s Turkish national record of 2:21:27, set a month before her suspension, will be allowed to stand; it’s her fastest career time by almost four minutes. Her other results from Jan. 31, 2024, onward have been disqualified.
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