Running News Daily

Cross-country guru Lucy Mawia slapped with a three-year doping ban

Lucy Mawia has been banned for three years by the Athletics Integrity Unity for the presence of three banned substances in her body.

The 2022 Belgrade Half Marathon Lucy Mawia has been slapped with a three-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit for an anti-doping rule violation.

Mawia, popularly known for her cross-country prowess, will be eligible to compete once again from March 27, 2027. Her results from March 10 this year, will also be disqualified.

As per World Athletics, athletes representing a foreign Member Federation or other Areas are regarded as out of competition participants (OC).

Earlier this year, the Italian Anti-doping tribunal suspended Mawia following a violation of an anti-doping rule.

As per the Italian anti-doping agency, Mawia’s sample was found positive for the presence of Efedrina, Oxycodone, and its metabolite Oxymorphone. The substance is an active metabolite of oxycodone produced via CYP2D6-mediated metabolism.

Her career was taking shape and in 2022, she won the 2022 World Cross Country Tour. In 2022, Mawia dominated the races at the start of the tour, winning in Bydgoszcz in October and in Soria and Alcobendas in November.

Mawia kicked off the 2023 cross-country campaign with a third-place finish in Amorebieta and sixth place in Atapuerca. The 2023 15K Nocturna Valencia Banco Mediolanum champion was also third in Atapuerca in November and second in San Vittore Olona in January in 2023.

This means her results from the 5km Route de Lille and the Italian Cross-Country Championships have been disqualified. In France, she finished fifth in the road race before clocking 27:50 to cross the finish line in her cross-country race in Italy, competing as an out of competition participant.