Canadian Swimmer Dmitry Shulga has received an 11-month suspension after testing positive in-competition for the banned substances N-ethyl-1-phenyl-2-butanamine and 1-phenyl-2-butanamine, which are classified under the World Anti-Doping Code as stimulants.
The 24-year old Shulga tested positive earlier this year, and is generally at his best in short course meters, with times of 1:52.75 in the 200 free and 2:03.57 in the 200 IM. The Nova Scotia native is a former provincially A-carded swimmer, meaning that he finished in the A final at a major Canadian competition. This system has since been scrapped.
After having his appeal hearing delayed following the February test, his suspension was reduced to 11 months.
Among the factors contributing to the length of suspension was the fact that the ingredients that Shulga tested positive for were not listed on the label of a supplement he was taking (Shulga, because of pending litigation, would not name the product specifically), which is an increasingly common story in the world of swimming.
“I believe I was a victim of fraud on the part of the manufacturer,” Shulga told us today. “The manufacturer even claimed on the bottle that the supplement was produced in an NSF for Sport Certified Facility, and all of that turned out to be a fraud and NSF is now pursuing legal actions against the supplement manufacturer.”
But here’s the real kicker to this story: neither substance for which Shulga has been banned is specifically listed on the World Anti-Doping Association’s (WADA) list of banned substances. Shulga says that he found one other case where an athlete was banned for these substances, an Australian rugby player in June, 2012, and despite the January 1st, 2013 update to the WADA prohibited list, it was still not specifically named as a banned substance.
This means that WADA, while aware of the substance and considering it worthy of suspension, chose not to list it on the 2013 list, despite a positive test for it in 2012.
N-ethyl-1-phenyl-2-butanamine, according to a study done by the West Virginia University School of Medicine, is less potent as a vasoconstrictor (raising blood pressure) than epinephrine, a common stimulant, but is effective about twice as long in its blood pressure effect than are amphetamines. It is seen as a sort of surrogate for methamphetamines.
The FDA were swift but not too swift on the action.
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/ucm392485.htm
This was the supplement in question and the FDA took notice. Further tests found this methamphetamine analogue in the supplement after Dmitry tested positive and was subsequently banned for 11 months. NSF (the name of the testing company that fraudulently used on the label of the supplement) also got involved issuing a warning to Driven Sports.
What a terrible case this is, the supplement industry is vile and it is the athletes who suffer. This is an extraordinary example of bad luck on the part of the athlete who will live with this for the rest of his life, it will haunt him forever.
All stimulants are banned. The list would be forever long, and people would claim this bullshite till the end of time. The list says ALL STIMULANTS. Get it cheats?
Can you link or send me a copy of the West Virginia School of Medicine’s study? I would be very interested in reading it.
Itis an outrageous accident which happened to a talented and promising athlete. This should never happen in Canada. I wish \dimitrii success in his future career and not to give up!
If a substance isn’t on the “banned” list, why is there a suspension at all? Shouldn’t athletes be able to rely on the WADA list to know what is or isn’t prohibited? Scary stuff…
What are the rules regarding substances that WADA does not have on their list? Or do these substances fall into a category on their list?
I think it would be fair to the athlete community to release the name of the manufacturer. As long as the swimmer clearly states that it is his opinion, not a fact, that he was the victim of fraud, he cannot be sued for libel. And although the guy probably feels robbed, I hope he doesn’t want others to be subjected to the same.
Francene – if somebody is involved in litigation, libel isn’t the issue.