Sweden's Meraf Bahta Could Miss European Outdoor Championships After Missing Three Anti-Doping Tests

By Adam Kopet

Aftonbladet reports Swedish distance runner Meraf Bahta could miss the Aug. 7-12 European Outdoor Championships in Berlin after she had three whereabouts violations with regards to anti-doping testing (article requires translation).

Athletes must provide an hour window each day when they can be contacted by anti-doping officials. After three missed tests, an athlete faces possible disciplinary action, which can be as severe as a two-year ban.

Bahta finished sixth in the 1,500 meters at the 2016 Olympics and ninth at the 2017 IAAF World Outdoor Championships. She won the European Outdoor Championships 5,000 in 2014 and she finished as runner-up in 2016.

Not all may be lost for Bahta. Whereabouts violations do not require the athlete to face suspension during the legal process, unless the athlete's national federation decides to enforce a preliminary ban. Aftonbladet also reports that the Swedish athletics federation does not plan to do so (article requires translation).

It is currently unclear what the timeline Bahta faces as far as the legal aspect of her case. Any ban she could face would likely not be enforced until after the European Outdoor Championships.