Balciunaite gets 8-year ban after failing doping test

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) Lithuanian marathon runner Zivile Balciunaite has been banned for eight years after testing positive for meldonium in April. The

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) Lithuanian marathon runner Zivile Balciunaite has been banned for eight years after testing positive for meldonium in April.

The Athletics Federation of Lithuania said Monday that the 37-year-old Balciunaite is banned from all competitions with immediate effect and will not represent the Baltic country at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Balciunaite denied any wrongdoing.

In 2010, she won gold in the European Championship but was stripped of her medal after failing a doping test because of excessive levels of testosterone and epitestosterone.