The 26-year-old tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid drostanolone after winning the 60 metres gold medal in a personal best of 7.10sec in Gothenburg in March and was temporarily banned by the Bulgarian Athletics Federation.

However, the body today went on to ban Naimova for life after it was not convinced by the written explanation given by the athlete.

"The competitor's written explanations cannot be considered evidence for the existence of exceptional/special circumstances that would justify the imposition of a lesser sanction," read a statement.

Naimova committed her first doping violation at the beginning of 2009 when she manipulated a sample and was banned for two years.

Naimova has the right to appeal the Bulgarian Athletics Federation decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

If the ban is not overturned, then the Ukraine's Mariya Ryemyen is set to be upgraded to the gold medal with France's Myriam Soumare promoted to silver and Naimova's Bulgarian team-mate Ivet Lalova from fourth to bronze.

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