German distance runner Sara Benfares has ended her career amid doping allegations and a reported cancer diagnosis, broadcasters Saarländischer Rundfunk have reported.
Citing her lawyer, Dubravko Mandic, the report late Monday said that the 22-year-old would no longer be competing and that he expected the doping case to be closed soon.
Her father, Samir Benfares, had previously told a French portal that she has been diagnosed with bone cancer and would end her career.
Mandic spoke of diffuse bone disease in Monday's report, said she was being treated by a French doctor, and that the case was therefore not a doping offence.
Germany's Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) said in January that Benfares tested positive for the blood booster EPO and the steroid testosterone last year. Legal proceedings have also started because doping is a criminal offence in Germany.
Mandic said he was not representing Benfares' sister, Sofia Benfares, who also failed a doping test for EPO last year.
The sisters grew up near Paris but compete for Germany.
Sara Benfares came 12th over 5,000m at the 2022 European championships and was aiming to compete at this year's Paris Olympics. Her younger sister Sofia was third over 3,000m at last year's European junior championships.
Along with their older sister Selma, they have been kicked out of their German club, LC Rehlingen, in the wake of the affair.
