British athlete Bernice Wilson has lost an appeal to retract the four year suspension handed to her after a positive drugs test in June 2011.

The BBC reports:

The 27-year-old, who tested positive for two anabolic steroids, broke into the British team last year, competing at the European Indoor Championships.

Wilson blamed a contaminated sample for the cause of her positive test.

UK Anti-Doping chief Andy Parkinson said: "This sends a strong message to anyone looking to dope in the UK."

Lincolnshire sprinter Wilson tested positive for banned steroids testosterone and clenbuterol after running the 100m in 11.95 seconds at the Bedford International Games on 12 June.

She issued a statement in July calling for UK Anti-Doping, who administer drug testing in the UK, to withdraw the case and open an internal investigation to determine the cause of the contamination.

However, an independent National Anti-Doping Panel upheld the European Indoor 60m semi-finalist's four-year ban.

For the full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/16650433.stm