Nationality French Event 1500 metres | Years active 1970s | |
Born 11 December 1973 (age 43) ( 1973-12-11 ) Marrakech | ||
Latifa Essarokh, born December 11, 1973 at Marrakech Morocco, is a former French athlete who ran the 1500 meters.
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Biography
Of Moroccan origin but living in France since the age of six months, she obtained her French citizenship in 1996. She began athletics in the 400m hurdles before progressing to 800 and 1500 meters.
In 2006, she became the first French to break the 4 minutes barrier in the 1500 meters. This performance, 3:59.61, established at a meeting in Stockholm, made her among the best specialists in the field and a candidate for the podium at the European Championships in Gothenburg.
But on the eve of her departure, she was first suspended by the French federation because of a "medical certificate against the practice of the competition" established by the doctor of the Federation. Later, the real reason would be given: after the meeting in Stockholm, she had submitted to anti doping test. The analysis of sample A revealed the presence of stanozolol, an anabolic steroid.
After confirmation by the anti-drug authorities, the French Federation sentenced her to two years' suspension.
She was previously the subject of rumors, especially since her ex-boyfriend, Moroccan, Aïssa Dgoughi, was sentenced to a prison sentence for transporting doping products.
This same Dgoughi revealed in a report forwarded to the IAAF in July 2007 by Hind Dehiba, that Latifa Essarokh had used the drug EPO during a seminar taking place in Morocco in 2003. He says part of the doping products he was carrying when he was arrested was to be given to Essarokh.