Kronemeyer Banned For Two Years

Dutch squash player Karen Kronemeyer has been banned for two years by the Netherlands Squash Bond.

Traces of the banned substance benzylpiperazine were found in a urine sample taken from Kronemeyer during February's Dutch National Championships.

In her defence, the 25-year-old from The Hague stated that she "had always done her best to participate in her sport without using doping" and insisted that she had "never intentionally taken any forbidden substances".

The Netherlands Squash Bond Disciplinary Committee ruled that "Ms Kronemeyer will be banned for the period of two years, as stated in Article 1.39 of the Doping Regulations. The ban will take effect from 12 February 2006; the date of the urine sample."