Maggi was named as female athlete of the year by the Brazilian Olympic Committee (BOC) earlier this month after winning the gold medal in the long jump at the Games in Beijing despite her controversial past and used the opportunity to promote Rio's bid.

 

She was the world's top-ranked jumper when she tested positive for the anabolic steroid clostebol in May 2003.

 

Maggi claimed she ingested the substance during a hair removal procedure prescribed by a doctor.

 

She was subsequently cleared by Brazil's Superior Sports Tribunal.

 

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), however, appealed against the decision and the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Maggi was guilty of a doping offence after she failed to attend the hearing.

 

She had to serve a two-year ban and missed the 2004 Athens Olympics before bouncing back to regain her position as the world number one to claim the title in Beijing.

 

Several athletes were angry after Maggi won in the Chinese capital, including Britain's Jade Johnson, who finished seventh and claimed that the Brazilian should have been banned for life.

 

But the BOC continue to back the 32-year-old Maggi, who is a superstar at home.

 

A spokeswoman told insidethegames: "The Brazilian Olympic Committee does not consider Maurren Maggi as a failed athlete because of her ban in 2003.

 

"We recognise the charges brought against her and the fact that she was suspended in June 2003 for doping.

 

"In spite of that, Maurren Maggi served her ban and fought back by resuming her training as a professional athlete in January 2006.

 

"Maggi shined at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio and then again at the Beijing Games as the first Brazilian woman to win Olympic gold in an individual event and the first South American woman to win gold in athletics.

 

"We believe that Maureen is an example of an athlete’s capacity to overcome challenges and the fight against doping and welcome her as the 2008 female athlete of the year."

 

When London's bid to host the 2012 Olympics was officially launched in 2002 it was headed by Dwain Chambers, the then-European 100 metres champion.

 

He was revealed to have a failed a drugs test for anabolic steroids a year later and is now banned from ever representing Britain again in the Olympics.

 

Then in 2005 after Mark Lewis-Francis, a member of the 4x100m relay team that won the Olympic gold medal in Athens, tested positive for the recreational drug cannabis he was dropped as an ambassador by London 2012 even though he was only given a public warning and not a ban.

 

Christine Ohuruogu, who many believed would be the face of the 2012 Olympics because she was born in Stratford of immigrant parents, was also dropped by London officials after she was banned for a year in 2006 after missing three out-of-competition tests.

 

She is slowly being rehabilitated following her victories in the 400m at the 2007 World Championships and the Beijing Olympics and is increasingly adopting a higher-profile again.

 

London 2012 have also angered Linford Christie, the 1992 Olympic 100m champion, because they have refused to use him to promote the Games after he tested positive for record levels of the banned substance nandrolone in 1999 which cast a long dark shadow over his career.

 

Rio is one of four cities short-listed to host the 2016 Olympics together with Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo.

 

The International Olympic Committee is due to announce its decision at its Session in Copenhagen on October 2, 2009.