The Australian Swimmers Association is seeking answers as to whether or not its members were targeted in a ‘post-Olympics drug-testing blitz’ that rendered one Olympian suspended for 12 months and two others with pending cases hanging over their heads.
Over a three-month period, all athletes must provide an hour-long time-slot when they can be tested by FINA and ASADA drugs testers unannounced. Missing a test counts as one strike, and three strikes within 12 months can lead to a two-year ban from sport. Commonwealth Games Champion and Rio Olympic finalist Thomas Fraser-Holmes was cited as having missed 3 drug tests in a 12-month period, resulting in his being banned from competition for 12 months.
Olympic silver medalist Madeline Groves and open water swimmer Jarrod Poort are reportedly in the same boat in terms of having missed tests due to whereabouts confusion, however, no punishment has yet been handed down to the pair.
Prior to the 3 aforementioned athletes, the Australian aquatics team has reportedly never experienced missing whereabouts cases before, leading ASA Executive Director Daniel Kowalski to submit a series of questions pertaining to the situation to Swimming Australia, the WADA and FINA Athletes Commission. (The Australian)
Kowalski said the swimmers accepted that being available for drug-testing was “first and foremost their responsibility’’. However, he wants to make sure that Aussie athletes were not being pinpointed in these situations.
“We want to ensure that we aren’t being targeted in this,’’ Kowalski said. “We want to know what the numbers were on whereabouts testing post-Rio compared with post-London and we want to make sure that the testers have followed the correct protocol.’’ (The Australian)
Much as I respect Kowalski, he would’ve done better keeping this communication with the authorities private rather than speaking to the media. He is quite right to ask for assurance of procedural compliance on the part of testers but he “put his foot in it” by resorting to suggestions of “targeting”.
Those who have (allegedly) missed tests are ALL grown adults, not school children, and should be assumed to be professionals and as such, be aware of their requirements. The system, as it is, has a generous allowance of 3 strikes before you’re facing sanctions.
As a (half) Australian, I DO think we need to get over ourselves and realise that we are no more honest or honourable than… Read more »
There was a Tip Top bread commercial where he was smiling but that was like 25 years ago . Then there was the ( hopefully) dry humour about getting ribbed for a muffin top at Nats. Other than giving him the benefit of the doubt , I think he may be a bit earnest .
They all know the rules. Grow up.
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So let me see if i understand this correctly, 3 missed tests = 24month ban. FAILED drug test = 3 month ban. Makes sense. Well done @fina1908
12:56 PM – 12 May 2017 · Tempe, AZ
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If “pinpointing” is the best defense the smartest swimming minds in Australia can come up with this long after everything was brought to light, I’m going to suggest they’re out of good ideas. It might be time to begin asking for leniency and forgiveness.
This is one situation where it should not matter if they are singling out Australian swimmers, or swimmers from any country for that matter.
All swimmers know the rules, and they know what the consequences can be for not showing up for a test. If you have nothing to hide, there is no reason whatsoever to miss a test. Although I may understand if there is one accidental missed test, I absolutely do not think for a second that a person mistakenly misses three tests.
This sport has a long history of dirty athletes, so I am all for as much “pinpointing” as is necessary to keep the sport clean.