World champion steeplechaser Marta Dominguez banned for doping

Convicted doper Yuliya Zarudneva of Russia would be upgraded to gold. American Jenny Simpson finished fifth.

Steeplechaser Marta Dominguez of Spain has been banned for three years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and may be stripped of her 2009 gold medal from the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, according to the Associated Press. 

The punishment stems from Dominguez's ties to doping as well as issues with her biological passport. 

All of Dominguez's results between Aug. 2009 and July 2013 have been nullified. She will be eligible to return to competition in 2018.

In addition to her world championship medal, she also won silver in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2010 European championships. She competed at the 2012 Olympics in London and finished 12th in the event. 

In 2010, Dominguez was one of 14 people arrested during a Spanish criminal investigation into doping in sports. She was later released on trafficking and distribution of doping substances.

Dominguez also stood trial after being wiretapped while discussing doping practices, though she was acquitted.  She was banned for anomalies in her biological passport.

She had been provisionally suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations for four years in July 2013.

If Dominguez, 40,  is stripped of her gold medal from Berlin, silver medalist Yuliya Zarudneva of Russia would be upgraded to gold. Zarudneva has served a doping ban and had some results from 2011 and 2012 removed, which include her 2012 Olympic victory but not her world championship gold medal in 2011.

Watch Dominguez's gold medal win from 2009 below:

Kenya's Milcah Chemos Cheywa would exchange her bronze medal for a silver medal, while Gulnara Samitova-Galkina of Russia would move from fourth to third for bronze.

• Russia, five countries declared non-compliant by WADA

American Jenny Simpson finished fifth in the race and set the American record of 9:12.50 in the process. 

Spain was among six countries that were placed on a watch list by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which means its anti-doping agencies must meet strict conditions by March 18, 2016 or be deemed non-compliant with the agency's code.

- Christopher Chavez