2012 Olympic Hammer Champion Krisztian Pars of Hungary Banned for Doping

By Adam Kopet

The Associated Press reports 2012 Olympic hammer throw champion Krisztian Pars of Hungary has been banned until July 2019 for doping.

Pars tested positive for what the Hungarian Athletics Federation called a non-performance-enhancing substance in an out-of-competition test Jan. 13 in his home city of Szombathely, Hungary.

Pars is a four-time Olympian. He won 2012 Olympic gold with a mark of 264-5 (80.59m). His personal best stands at 271-3 (82.69m). Pars finished seventh in the 2016 Olympics.

Doping officials accepted the 36-year old's explanation that the substance got into his system during the offseason and does not enhance performance, resulting in only an 18-month ban.