Elana to run, but dope case not over

Elana Meyer has had her suspension lifted by Athletics South Africa, although the governing body has still to decide whether the world half-marathon record-holder is guilty of a doping offence or not.

On May 7, ASA announced that the Boland athlete was found to have exceeded the reportable limit of the banned stimulant Caffeine in a sample provided at a 10 kilometre race in Bali, Indonesia, on February 2.

The Stellenbosch star was suspended from all athletics activities and the subsequent testing of Meyer's B sample, conducted in Malaysia, merely confirmed the presence of the illegal substance.

Meyer was summoned to appear before an ASA disciplinary tribunal into her alleged doping offence in Johannesburg on Thursday, but the hearing was postponed until August 14 when finality could not be reached.

"The tribunal, chaired by Mr Monty Hacker, announced that the provisional suspension on Elana has been lifted with immediate effect, pending the finding of the August 14 hearing," an ASA statement said.

The decision to postpone the hearing came after ASA requested more time to consider results, that will only become available towards the end of June, of further investigations into the matter.

"This also allows the athlete the opportunity to undergo a caffeine metabolism investigation."

Meyer expressed satisfaction with the decision to lift her suspension.

"I am very happy that I can again compete in events, but of course am disappointed that the matter could not be resolved today," she said.

Meyer has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has requested that various further tests be done by Dr Ryan Kohler, a recognised doping expert at the University of Stellenbosch, as well as further information from the IAAF and the testing laboratory in Malaysia.