 Abnormalities in her biological passport detected over the period from 18 August 2009 to February 2013 led to her receiving a two-year ban from the sport and the annulment of her results over that time (including two of her three appearances at the European Athletics Championships and her run at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics).Born in Kiev, she enjoyed swimming and table tennis in her youth before moving onto track and field after beating boys in races at school.Her parents agreed to send her to a sports college in the capital in 1994.