After having been banned 12 months for missing 3 drug tests, Australian swimmer Thomas Fraser-Holmes has now been officially cut from the Dolphins national team. Staying in Monaco set to compete at the first stop of the European Mare Nostrum series, Fraser-Holmes was excused from the team hotel before competition begins tomorrow, June 10th, while also being given directives regarding his domestic training and Swimming Australia income.
Per a report appearing in The Daily Telegraph, Swimming Australian High Performance head Wayne Lomas told Fraser-Holmes (TFH) that the athlete can ‘no longer be a part of the Australian Team or Australian Team set-up including training with Australian coaches and other swimmers.’
‘Regarding your ongoing training upon your return to Australia,’ reads an email to TFH from Lomas, obtained by The Daily Telegraph, ‘our lawyer has advised that nothing contained within the sanction prevents you from training in a public facility, but you are not able to train under the guidance of an ASCTA Accredited Coach or Coach in any way connected to Swimming Australia through funding or membership.’
In November of last year, TFH had moved to train at Bond University to train alongside Olympian Cameron McEvoy. However, now due to his ban, Lomas instructed the 400m IM finalist can continue training at Bond, but must do so at a time completely separate from the rest of the squad.
Concerning his stipend as a member of the national team Lomas also communicated to TFH that, ‘payments from Swimming Australia must also cease.’ Lomas further conveyed, ‘I know that this must be a very difficult time for you and reiterate to you that your wellbeing is paramount to all of us as we collectively navigate the legal requirements of the Anti Doping Policies and ensure the care of you.’
Per his lawyer, Fraser-Holmes plans to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport concerning his ban. There is still no word yet on the fates of fellow Aussies Madeline Groves and Jarrod Poort, both of whom also failed to be located for 3 tests.
As an aside, not sure if anyone at Swim Swam’s noticed but Madi Wilson has gone to Bond – what’s that three swimmers to have left Michael Bohl after a disastrous RIO campaign and Maddy Groves in the US currently?
Yes, we reported on Madi Wilson here – https://staging.swimswam.com/aussie-olympian-madi-wilson-makes-move-to-bond-in-tokyo2020-quest/
They have three swimmers miss three drug tests each? That is suspicious.
The 3 who missed tests all train in different squads in different locations. One of them is an open-water competitor rather than pool swimmer. One of Groves missed tests was when she was actually training in the USA where she has located herself for much of this year. Both Groves and TFH had not competed since Rio & had ruled themselves out of Words & Worlds selection and Mare Nostrum was actually to be their first competition back
Rather than being any clear evidence of systematic doping (though its not out of the question that they could be), its looks more a case of three individuals who’s blase attitude to staying on top of these responsibilities will pay a (justifiable)… Read more »
Ill put my hand up to do his sessions in the public lane at bond.
Arriving home late because you’re having dinner at mum’s is not an excuse for missing your scheduled window for a drug test. If swimming is your livelihood, I’m sure your mum would have fixed a go plate. ?
The Griswolds do Europe .
Tommy offloaded , who will be next Madeline or Granny? Wtf is there ?
I’m surprised SAS took him to Europe with all of this lingering overhead. From a practical point of view, is he able to train with an accredited coach/program in, say, New Zealand during his suspension?
Yes, they certainly took a risk naming both he and Groves for these events knowing these issues were pending. With regards to your proposition, that would depend on the regime in place in that particular country and their policies towards foreign swimmers training with their squads …. and whether they would accept someone whose current legal status is that of “limbo”.
i don’t think any federation is allow to have them train there while they are suspended. I also don’t understand why they took him to Europe?!
You are NOT under suspension whilst your “case is yet to come before the court”. It was however puzzling that they would include swimmers with these issues pending in any team heading away for a meet
Swimming Australia: “Hey China! Send us your tainted athletes! We’ll take good care of ’em!”
Also Swimming Australia: “TFH missed some tests? Get the f**k out.”
Firstly the coach who is taking on the Chinese swimmers is NOT running a squad/program designated as a “Podium Centre” and therefore receiving major SAL funding unlike the previous situation with Dennis Cotterall at Miami. Indeed Brown is not even running an “elite” program at this stage and is not even receiving Queensland Academy of Sport funding. He has to pay the bills somehow and this deal is between him and the Chinese in question; SAL is not a party to the transaction.
Whilst its somewhat puzzling why they would’ve considered taking such a risk as naming swimmers with these matters pending for such a competition; procedurally they had no alternative other than to do as they have now done.
Might is the operative word.