The Lithuanian athletics federation said on Thursday it had insufficient evidence to ban European women's marathon champion Zivile Balciunaite for doping.
Balciunaite, 31, was suspended after a urine test at the European championships in Barcelona this year found a deviation from the allowed ratio between the male sex hormone testosterone and epitestosterone.
Both occur naturally in women but an increased level of testosterone can indicate it has been administered artificially.
"After hearing arguments and examining the findings the disciplinary committee of Lithuania's Athletics Federation has decided unanimously that there was insufficient evidence to prove the athlete's guilt to disqualify her," the federation said.
Balciunaite, who has denied taking banned drugs, has said the test results could have been influenced by a drug she had been taking to relieve period pains. She said she had taken the drug, which was prescribed for her in 2003, just before running in Barcelona.
The federation said its disciplinary committee had decided to ask the International Association of Athletics Federations to examine Balciunaite's explanation.
"If the IAAF decides that these explanations are sufficient, then the case is dropped. If not, then the national federation would have to look at it again," federation spokesman Arturas Gimzauskas said.
He said Balciunaite would remain suspended until the IAAF reached a verdict.
Balciunaite, who won the European title in a season's best time of two hours 31 minutes 14 seconds, faces a two-year ban if found guilty of taking prohibited drugs.
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