Gabriela Petrova confident of competing

Omnisports

March 28, 2016 1:02 AM

Gabriela Petrova denied any wrong-doing after testing positive for meldonium and is confident of featuring at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

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Bulgarian triple jumper Gabriela Petrova is confident of being cleared to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympics despite a positive test for meldonium.

The 23-year-old, who placed fourth at last year's World Championships in Beijing, failed an out-of-competition test on February 6 for the drug that was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list in January.

WADA reported this month that 99 athletes had tested positive for the drug and it is reported that number is now over 100, with the most notable being former tennis world number one Maria Sharapova.

However, Petrova - a silver medallist in the 2015 European Indoor Championships - has denied any wrongdoing and is confident of avoiding a suspension to feature in Brazil when the Games begin in August.

"I believe the truth will be revealed," the 2015 Bulgarian Athlete of the Year said at a news conference in Sofia.

"It doesn't sound logical for 150 athletes to have taken the banned substance in an Olympic year.

"I have not violated, in any way, the anti-doping rules and I can move on with my head held high. I stopped taking this medication in September. I haven't touched it in 2016.

"It has nothing to do with the Sharapova case. She said she took the medication in 2016 to treat a health problem."

Omnisports