Career
She was later stripped of her 2005 World silver and 2006 World Indoor title. Her other titles include wins at the 2002 European Championships and the 2002 IAAF World Cup. Kotova was born in Kokand, Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, and grew up in Taboshar, Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic. She started to take up track and field in 1995, previously also practicing volleyball and basketball.
She was injured in a car accident in August 2000, and went on to finish fourth less than two months later at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
In the 2000 Olympics, she had initially finished fourth. However, in 2013, samples from the 2005 World Championships were retested and Kotova was found to have been doping.
She was stripped of her silver medal, She was also disqualified from the World Athletics Final, with Anju Bobby George promoted to first.