International Rowing Federation announces further Russian
anti-doping code violations
FISA, the International Rowing Federation, today announced
that a further three Russian rowers have been suspended because
of anti-doping code violations which took place in July 2007.
The three rowers - Alexander Litvintchev, Evgeny Luzyanin
and Ivan Podshivalov from the Russian men’s eight –
were found to have utilised a method prohibited under the
World Anti-Doping Code.
The case follows on from the suspensions of Vladimir Varfolomeev
and Denis Moiseev of the Russian lightweight men’s double
and Svetlana Fedorova from the Russian women’s eight
which were announced during the World Rowing Championships
in Munich. These six cases are based on DNA analysis of blood
traces found on used intravenous infusion equipment with various
legal substances that had been disposed of outside of the
Russian team’s hotel in Lucerne in July 2007. This used
equipment was found by a local resident in a rubbish bin and
reported to FISA. Further investigation identified DNA strands
from a number of Russian rowers. Because of delays in obtaining
blood samples from all members of the Russian team and the
time needed for matching the DNA analyses, the proceeding
for these latest three rowers was conducted later.
The three Russian rowers suspended today have been banned
from international rowing for two years retroactive to a starting
date of 27 August 2007. In order to treat all six rowers from
the same incident equally, this date - the date on which the
first three athletes were suspended – was selected.
These latest three rowers had participated in the 2007 World
Rowing Championships and qualified their men’s eight
for the 2008 Olympic Games by placing among the top seven
boats.
The consequence of this decision is that the Russian men’s
eight has now been disqualified for having ineligible rowers
on board, their result in Munich has been annulled, and the
Australian men’s eight, which finished in 8th position,
moves into 7th place and hereby qualifies for the Beijing
Olympic Games. The remaining five rowers and coxswain from
the Russian boat who are still eligible to compete, may attempt
to qualify for the Games at the final qualifying regatta in
Poznan in June.
Although none of the six sanctioned athletes actually tested
positive for a prohibited substance, they did use a prohibited
method - intravenous infusion. The substance, in these cases
was a fructose-based solution. According to paragraph "b"
of Section "M2" under "Prohibited Methods"
in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s List of Prohibited
Substances and Methods, "Intravenous infusions are prohibited,
except as a legitimate acute medical treatment". The
FISA Anti-Doping Hearing Panel concluded that no legitimate
acute medical treatment took place.
Asked today, Matt Smith, FISA Executive Director said: "The
FISA Council stands solidly behind this decision. It is important
to note that the substance used was not a prohibited substance.
The issue was intravenous infusion. Our fight is against doping
to achieve an unfair advantage, but it is also to protect
the health of our athletes. We hope that this is a clear message
that the sport of rowing will not accept use of substances
or methods that create unfair conditions and/or threaten the
health of our rowers."
These new cases bring the total number of anti-doping code
violations for the Russian Rowing Federation to seven in one
twelve-month period. In 2006, rower Olga Samulenkova of the
Russian women’s quadruple sculls tested positive for
an exogenous source of metabolites of testosterone. Although
she had been tested before the Championships, the test result
had only been communicated to FISA after the athlete had won
a gold medal at the 2006 World Rowing Championships. The crew
then subsequently lost their medals and the athlete was banned
from competition in the sport of rowing for two years. FISA
will now be assessing the situation of the Russian Rowing
Federation’s status in FISA.
|
