The women’s 1500m field at the Olympic Games could possibly be losing a key competitor as World Champion Abeba Aregawi has tested positive for a banned substance and is suspended, pending the analysis of a “B” sample. 

According to reports from Swedish media outlets Sport Bladet and Expressen, Stefan Olsson, the general secretary of Swedish Athletics confirmed the news in a press release. 

“It is with dismay and with extreme disappointment we have to leave this statement,” Olsson said, according to a translated news report. “We are opposed to all forms of cheating, doping and illicit funds. We have zero tolerance, and this is totally unacceptable.”

Aregawi reportedly tested positive in January and is requesting an analysis of her “B” sample. The Swedish athlete could potentially be suspended for two years and miss the Olympic Games in Rio this summer.

The IAAF released a statement about the drug test on Monday, which reads: “The IAAF and the Swedish Athletic Federation confirm having received a laboratory report indicating the presence of a prohibited substance in a urine sample of the athlete Abeba Aregawi collected out-of-competition by the IAAF.”

Statement from IAAF about Abeba Aregawi confirming a prohibited substance in a drugs test pic.twitter.com/RtpKwP0S69

— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) February 29, 2016

Aregawi won the World Championships 1500m title in 2013 against 2011 World Champion Jenny Simpson in an all-out battle at the line, which resulted in Simpson finishing second by just 0.32 seconds. At the 2015 World Championships, Aregawi clipped the back of Simpson's left shoe upon reaching the turn of the 700m mark of the 1500m final in Beijing. Aregawi ended up finishing sixth while Simpson faded to 11th while running barefoot on her left side. 


Simpson expressed her reaction to the news about her international rival by posting a message on her Twitter account.

No such thing as part-time clean, part-time cheat. #lifetimeclean or #lifetimeban

— Jenny Simpson (@trackjenny) February 29, 2016

Aregawi is also facing controversy over the issue of her Swedish citizenship and tax affairs, Expressen reports. She reportedly told Sweden’s migration board that she was resident in the country to gain citizenship but during a recent tax investigation, she said she had never lived there.