Earlier today, Cesar Cielo revealed on his personal blog that he and three of his Brazilian teammates had received warnings after a positive test for furosemide, a substance used in the treatement of heart disease and edema, and also as a diuretic. The drug itself is not a performance enhancer, but was banned by FINA because it can be used to mask the presence of other performance enhancers.
According to FINA rule DC 10.4, these “masking agents,” when it can be proven by the athlete that the intent was not to mask other performance enhancers, can be accompanied by a minimum sentence of no-time.
The other athletes to test positive at the Maria Lenk Trophy were Nicholas Santos, Henrique Barbosa, and Vinicius Waked. Santos and Barbosa are scheduled to join Cielo in Shanghai for the World Championships later this month.
This is the second time in as many weeks that the CBDA, Brazil’s governing body for aquatic sports, has handed out a relatively light punishment. Previously, they handed Fabiola Molina only a two-month ban after a positive test for Methylhexaneamine.
Cielo claimed innocence, and that his positive test was the result of a tainted supplement, which seems to be the reasoning behind every positive drug test as of late. In this particular instance, the pharmacy that prepared the supplement has taken the full blame for the contamination of an otherwise legal supplement (unlike in the Jessica Hardy case, where the supplement makers still deny culpability).
The pharmacy, in Cielo’s local hometown of Santa Bárbara D’Oeste, says that Cielo requested an emergency preparation of his dietary supplement prior to travel. In their haste to prepare his order, they stopped what they were doing and neglected to practice proper handling and cleaning practices.
In this event, it’s perfrectly plausible that the pharmacy was to blame (Cielo’s teammates all shared in this sample). For them to admit such a gross error could result in them being shut down permanantly, and it would’ve taken a pretty-huge payoff for them to take the fall for this case (even for a hometown hero like Cielo). The lab could also face criminal charges.
FINA now has 20 days to decide whether the CBDA’s findings were sufficient, or if they want to impose additional punishment on either athlete (or request further information). In this instance, given the acceptances of cross-contamination they’ve accepted in the past, it would be difficult for them to overturn the CBDA’s ruling.
Additionally, Cielo underwent a standard blood test during the Michigan Grand Prix and a blood test at the Paris Open. Assuming those tests come back negative, Cielo’s explanation of cross-contamination is certainly reasonable. Also, the level of his urine’s pH was unaltered, meaning that the amount of furosemide wasn’t high enough to actually mask anything else. This gives credence to the claims that this was simply a case of cross-contamination.
Assuming FINA upholds the CBDA’s ruling, Cielo will contest to defend his World Championship title in both the 50 and 100 freestyles.
swimmingfan1212,
You obviously have not heard the latest news: the lab has denied any wrongdoing.
And swimmingfan1212, I will believe it when I see it, translation: If the Brazilian government shut down the lab, then I will believe the innocence of Cielo et al.
Otherwise it’s all just baloney.
Cheaters will cheat.
Love the picture…perfect accompaniment for the story.
“If they are not served with a ban, how could the pharmacy be served with penalty fine and criminal charges and even closed down?
That’s just baloney.”
Explain this point. The CBDA doesn’t have any connection to the federal authorities that control pharmacies. You think that the federal government cares about whether or not suspensions were given when deciding if a pharmacy is criminally negligent? Disagree.
Cheater.
I agree with Chebstroke’s final point: There should be a ban for the swimmers, and the swimmers could then sue the hell out of the pharmacy. That is fair and just and follow FINA rules.
If they are not served with a ban, how could the pharmacy be served with penalty fine and criminal charges and even closed down?
That’s just baloney.
And how come there have been more furomiside cases coming out from Brazil than the other countries combined?
Andi, yes Hayden and Di Carli can also join the party. I want anyone clean as the winners in Shanghai.
So here’s what I want to know…how come the rhetoric is so different for Cielo. He has a clear defense, somebody else has taken blame for it, there wasn’t enough of it in his system for it to actually mask anything, etc. etc. But when it was Hardy, everyone felt so bad for her, and wanted her to sue the manufacturer, etc. etc. etc. Xenophobic much?
Disgraceful! simple as, thats all the input i need on this pathertic excuse.
PS. Aswimfan….What about Hayden & Di carli?
Having trained with one of the aforementioned athletes, I’m fairly sure this is an honest mistake. That being said, I also feel there was an element of pushing the boundaries regarding legal supplements, maximising the use without (knowingly) using any banned substances. This is such a dangerous approach with potential contamination (and/or mis-labelling), and most athletes nowadays are aware of thesedangers when taking relatively low risk protein supplements never mind some of the high tech (legal) stuff available.
Most good manufacturers now offer anti doping guarantees (at a higher price) on run of the mill supplements so it shouldn’t be an issue. Though the implication is that Cielo deals directly with a lab. Maybe this is just a case of… Read more »