Cocaine ban revealed for Russian basketball star
Russian women’s basketball star Nina Glonti was hit with a three-month ban for cocaine use earlier this year, with the news only just being reported by governing body the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
The sanction was imposed in March and expired on June 22, according to information in the section covering anti-doping violations on the FIBA website.
No further details were provided, although current World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules state that if an athlete can prove that the use of drugs such as cocaine took place out of competition and is not related to sporing performance, disqualifications can be reduced to three months rather than two years.
Glonti, 25, plays for club team MBA Moscow and is a Russian Women’s Premier League bronze medalist, as well as a silver and bronze medalist in the Russian Cup.
The 6ft 2in star has also featured for the Russian national team at various age groups, winning medals as a youth at the European Championships.
Power forward Glonti was described by the Russian media as her nation’s “new hope” for women’s basketball as recently as last November.
Russian teams remain banned indefinitely by FIBA from international competition as a result of the military campaign in Ukraine.
