Former world champion provisionally suspended after failing doping test taken following women’s Commonwealth 400m final

Amantle Montsho of Botswana has been provisionally suspended after she failed a doping test at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

The 2011 world 400m champion, who was pipped to world gold in 2013 by Britain’s Christine Ohuruogu, tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine after finishing fourth in the women’s 400m final on Tuesday.

“Ms Montsho was notified of her A sample result and has asked for her B sample to be tested, which will take place at the accredited laboratory in London on Monday August 4th,” read part of the statement from the Commonwealth Games Federation.

“Ms Montsho attended the Provisional Hearing of the Federation Court, presided by CGF Vice-President Bruce Robertson, which ruled that the provisional suspension of the athlete will continue.”

Montsho came to the Glasgow Games as the reigning Commonwealth champion, the sprinter having won 400m gold in a Games record time in Delhi in 2010. She could only finish fourth with 51.10 in Tuesday’s final, though, with her mark a second slower than her 2010 result, as Jamaica took a clean sweep of the medals led by Stephenie Ann McPherson with 50.67.

The drug methylhexaneamine has been linked to supplements, causing federations such as UK Anti-Doping and Athletics Australia to release warnings to athletes in 2010. It is present in products available over the counter, including weight-loss aids and energy-boosters.

UK Anti-Doping warned: “There is a risk that supplements could contain this or other prohibited substances even if the ingredients listed on the label do not appear on the World Anti-Doping Code s Prohibited List.”

British shot putter Rachel Wallader received a reduced ban of four months after testing positive for the drug in May 2010.

Montsho is the second athlete to fail a doping test at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games after 16-year-old weightlifter Chika Amalaha of Nigeria was stripped of her gold medal from the women’s 53kg category after returning positive samples.

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