Lysenko's future in limbo amid doping controversy

MOSCOW, Aug 7 (Reuters) Women's hammer world record holder Tatyana Lysenko is certain to miss this month's world championships amid a doping controversy and accusations of wrongdoing that has rocked Russian athletics.

''The worlds are out of the question,'' said president of the Russian athletics federation (RAF) Valentin Balakhnichyov in reference to Lysenko, who is facing a ban after failing a drugs test for a hormone blocker in May.

The 23-year-old Russian would have been an overwhelming favourite to win her first global title in Osaka, Japan after smashing her own world record with a throw of 78.61 metres on May 26 in Sochi.

Another hammer thrower, European junior champion Yekaterina Khoroshikh, is also sidelined after testing positive for the same medication on May 9. Both Lysenko and Khoroshikh are coached by Nikolai Beloborodov.

Lysenko and Khoroshikh, who both declined to have their B sample tested, deny any wrongdoing.

Balakhnichyov said the fate of the two athletes was now in the hands of the RAF's disciplinary committee.

''There are a lot of questions in regards to both athletes so it's going to be a long hearing,'' committee chairman Oleg Dmitrusenko told Reuters.

Sources within the RAF told Reuters that Lysenko, who won the 2006 European title in Gothenburg, Sweden and has set three world records in the past 12 months, was hoping for a reduced ban, enabling her to compete in next year's Beijing Olympics.

Meanwhile, Beloborodov accused Russia's head athletics coach Valery Kulichenko of supplying the substance to both of his athletes, a charge Kulichenko strongly denies.

''This is just pure nonsense,'' Kulichenko, who is in hospital recuperating from a heart problem, was quoted as saying by local media.

REUTERS BJR RAI1756