New Zealand marathoner Hunter-Galvin admits using EPO after positive test, gets 2-year ban

New Zealand runner admits EPO use, gets 2-year ban

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — U.S.-based New Zealand Olympic marathoner Liza Hunter-Galvin was banned from competition for two years Friday after admitting using the banned performance-enhancing substance EPO.

Hunter-Galvin, 40, a mother of four, admitted using EPO on three occasions — in February, March and in May, only three days before she returned a positive doping test.

Hunter-Galvin, a teacher who lives in San Antonio, Texas, represented New Zealand at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics. On both occasions she had been rejected for selection but appealed on the basis of her personal best marathon time of 2 hours, 30 minutes, 39 seconds.

She finished 51st in the Athens marathon and 35th in Beijing last August.

“Everybody is incredibly annoyed,” Athletics New Zealand chief executive Scott Newman said. “It’s very sad that one of our elite would choose to do this but we’re not naive.

“We don’t imagine that our athletes aren’t exposed to this at most major international competitions and I guess some will be tempted for some reason. In this case Liza was tempted and we’re incredibly disappointed about that.”

There was no immediate comment from Hunter-Galvin.