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Sarah Benafares

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Andy Lyons/World Athletics/Getty Images

The sisters Sara (22) and Sofia (19) Benfares were excluded from their club LC Rehlingen because of suspected doping.

The club announced this.

The board decided to “withdraw the membership of the LC Rehlingen” from the track and field athletes, as it was said.

This is the club's response to the recently announced doping investigations against the runners.

The decision also applies to the eldest sister Selma (24), who did not give a positive doping brope.

Initially, former World Cup participant Sara Benfares was found to have EPO and testosterone in a sample during a doping control.

Then Sofia Benfares, who won bronze over 3000 meters at the U20 European Championships in 2023, was also found to have EPO.

The National Anti-Doping Agency NADA then temporarily suspended both athletes and also filed a criminal complaint with the Saarbrücken public prosecutor's office on the basis of the anti-doping law.

(Read more about the case here.)

»That is of course what hit us like a bomb.

We are of course very affected," Jörg Bügner, director of sports in the German Athletics Association (DLV), recently told Sportschau about the case: "And of course our strategy is still clear.

We stand 100 percent for the anti-doping fight, for clean and fair sport.

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