The Turkish Athletics Federation has been scrambling to explain Yanit’s recent positive that has put her European 60m hurdles indoor crown in jeopardy - placing Ireland’s fourth-placer from the final in Gothenburg in March, Derval O’Rourke, on standby for a medal.

At a press conference in Turkey last night, TAF president Mehmet Terzi called the timing of Yanit’s failed test “not rational” and speculated it could have all been down to a simple ingredient of an everyday energy drink.

While Terzi accepts a ban is on the cards, there are indications the TAF may dispute the findings of tests flagged up by the IAAF last week involving Yanit and reigning Olympic 1500m champion Aslı

Çakır Alptekin.

“It is not rational that a two-time European champion and an Olympic fifth should use a banned substance before an event that has no importance – an event just she would run as a practice,” Terzi said.

“We have a worry that an energy drink might contain the banned substance. We have analysed it. But we have to say that even though the athlete has used a banned substance without knowing it, that requires a ban.”

Terzi however would not name the meeting at which Yanit tested positive, but did confirm the hurdles champion was under scrutiny: “Sometimes an athlete can be tested positive for banned substances.

“The tests could be taken by the national doping agency or WADA [World Anti-Doping Agency] Then we send the athlete’s file to our federation’s disciplinary committee, and after hearing the athlete’s defence, it reaches a verdict.

“Unfortunately, Nevin Yanıt is currently in this process.”

While Yanit has also won European outdoor 100m hurdles titles in 2010 and 2012 – the first of these

seeing O’Rourke finish in the silver medal position – it is not thought these results are in jeopardy.

Terzi – a former Olympian who competed in the same Olympic marathon that saw John Treacy

win silver in Los Angeles in 1984 – said a decision on Alptekin would take longer to resolve as

abnormalities were found in her blood passport.