Make that FOUR missed drug tests: Doping bosses reveal sprint champ who called skipping tests 'NORMAL' also missed one THIS YEAR

World 400m champion Salwa Eid Naser, who insisted she had not been tested this year and had "never been a cheat" despite facing a ban for missing three previous tests, also missed one in January, officials have announced.

Naser responded on Instagram after the Athletics Integrity Unit provisionally suspended the 2019 World Championships gold medalist over tests around the time of the competition in Doha, telling fans that she "only missed three drug tests, which is normal."

Now the testing body has released a statement announcing that the 22-year-old, who was the first Asian woman to become world champion in her discipline, had a fourth "whereabouts failure" in January this year.

"The investigation...was ongoing at the time of the Doha World Championships and she was not provisionally suspended at that time," explained the unit, clarifying their position after Naser said she "didn't want people to get confused."

"Following conclusion of the investigation and a fourth whereabouts failure in January 2020, a notice of charge was issued and Ms Naser subject to an immediate provisional suspension. The disciplinary process is ongoing."

Naser's astonishing time of 48.14 at the championships eclipsed Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo and was the third-fastest time in history. The two athletes to have run faster were heavily suspected of being involved in systemic, state-sponsored drug-taking during the 1980s, although they never failed tests.

“This year I have not been drug tested," acknowledged Naser. "Hopefully it’ll get resolved because I don’t really like the image, but it has happened. It can happen to anybody."

Under World Athletics' anti-doping rules, a whereabouts violation consists of any combination of three missed tests or filing failures during a 12-month period.

"It's going to be fine," continued Naser. "It's very hard to have this little stain on my name. I would never take performance-enhancing drugs. I believe in talent, and I know I have the talent.”