The 28-year old secured her third straight Asian Games title on Sunday (September 28), where she threw a Games record 77.33 metres.

But a statement from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) today revealed the Olympic bronze medallist's "pre-competition urine specimen collected on September 26 was found to contain Zeranol and its metabolite (ß-Zeranol), a prohibited substance in the WADA [World Anti-Doping Agency] Prohibited List 2014".

It is a non-specified substance under category S1.2, "Other Anabolic Agents".

The statement, signed by Dr M Jegathesan, chairman of the OCA Medical Committee and Anti-Doping Commission, added that Zhang has "been disqualified from the competition as well as these Games and as such his accreditation cancelled; and her gold medal withdrawn".

He added: "These findings will now be forwarded to the competitor's national authorities, the Asian Athletics Association and the IAAF [International Association of Athletics Federations], and the World Anti-Doping Agency for further action on their part as per sanctions concerning eligibility."

China's Zhang Wenxiu threw an Asian Games record of 77.33 metres when she won the hammer but has now been stripped of the title following a positive drugs tests ©Getty Images



Zhang won the hammer title at Doha 2006 and Guangzhou 2010, prior to her victory here.

She had won an Olympic bronze medal at Beijing 2008. 

Zhang had also won bronze medals at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships at Osaka in 2007, Daegu 2011 and Moscow 2013. 

Zhang's compatriot, Wang Zheng, who finished second in Sunday's final, is now set to be elevated to gold.

Bala Manju of India initially placed third, so will now win silver, while Masumi Aya of Japan will be promoted to bronze.

The Chinese athlete becomes the second gold medallist to be stripped of her title here, following Malaysian wushu player Tai Cheau Xuen, whose disqualification was confirmed yesterday after an unsuccessful appeal had been lodged to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Tajikistan footballer Khurshed Beknazarov, Cambodian soft tennis player Yi Sophany, Syrian karate competitor Nour Aldin Al-Kurdi and Iraqi weightlifter Mohammed Jasim Abbood Al Aifuri have also failed tests during the Games.

Silver medalist Wang Zheng of China and bronze medalist Bala Manju of India will now be promoted to gold and silver respectivelym while Masumi Aya of Japan will be moved up to bronze ©Getty Images



This is the first time a Chinese athlete has tested positive during an Asian Games since Hiroshima 1994.

Then, 11 members of the Chinese swimming and cycling teams, winners of a total of 15 titles between them, were disqualified after failing tests for Dihydrotestosterone, a steroid.

It also means there has now been the same number of positive cases, six, as there were in Guangzhou 2010 four years ago.

Two athletes were stripped of silver medals then.

Zeranol is a semi-synthetic estrogenic veterinary drug with growth-promoting properties.

Its use regarding animal husbandry has been prohibited in the European Union since 1981 and, due to its anabolic effects, it is further recognised as a banned substance in sport.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
October 2014: Malaysian wushu player loses gold medal after CAS throw out appeal
September 2014: Malaysian wushu winner stripped of Incheon 2014 gold medal after positive drugs test
September 2014: Tajikistan footballer registers first positive doping test of Incheon 2014
September 2014: Incheon 2014 to conduct record number of doping tests at Asian Games