Chinese race walker Song Hongjuan's coach is banned for four years after the athlete tested positive and was banned, said a Chinese athletics official on Monday.

Chinese Athletic Association official Zhang Yongliang said Song's coach was punished according to Chinese anti-doping rules.

China's Anti-Doping Code regulates that once athletes violate doping rules, coaches, team doctors or even scientific research staff shall take the related responsibilities and also receive punishments.

The 24-year-old Song, who was 14th in the women's 20km at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 15th in the same event at last year's world championships, tested positive for erythropoietin, or EPO, in an out-of-competition test in Beijing in February.

EPO boosts the number of blood cells, which in turn enhances the body's capacity to use oxygen and is used mainly by endurance athletes.

(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2008)