Russian ITT champion Tatiana Antoshina of Astana suspended for doping

Tatiana Antoshina who is a member of Russia’s national cycling team has been provisionally suspended by the UCI for testing positive for growth hormone. She won the 2016 Russian elite women’s individual time trial championship on June 26. Listed on Russia’s national team website she was likely to act as a reserve at the Rio de Jainero Olympics for Olga Zabelinskaya who took two bronze Olympic medals at the 2012 London games.

Antoshina, 33, rides for the Astana Women’s Team and won the overall classification at the 2015 Tour de Feminin O cenu Českého Švýcarska in the Czech Republic ahead of American Lauren Stephens. She failed a doping control on May 31 of this year for a growth hormone releasing peptide (GHRP-2) according to the UCI list of provincially suspended athletes. GHRP-2 stimulates the production of growth hormone.

Antoshina has won multiple Russian championship titles including this years time trial. She participated in the 2012 London Olympics finishing 25th in the women’s road race and 12th in the time trial.

Russia’s track and field team has been banned from participating in the 2016 Rio Olympics. An investigation led by Canadian Dick Pound found that allegations of state-supported doping in sport were found to be true.