Bulgaria’s Dinko Geshev Tests Positive for Cannabis; Ilya Vasilev for Clenbuterol

Bulgarian swimmer Dinko Geshev has tested positive for Cannabis, according to FINA; he was hit with a three-month suspension beginning January 23rd of this year: a suspension that has already been completed.

With some nuanced caveat, this is effectively a positive test for marijuana. Though the suspension wasn’t huge, and Geshev’s not yet been invited to the Olympics so that status wasn’t challenged, I think that it’s an important reminder for athletes around the world. There is a perception in the general swimming community that FINA and it’s member federations only test for performance enhancers and not “street drugs,” with marijuana placed in the latter category.

Geshev is by far the better swimmer of the pair, with a best of 1:01.72 in the 100 breaststroke, and with Mike Alexandrov returned to representing the United States was left as his country’s top male breaststroker.

The FINA release on Geshev is below.

On December 17, 2011, a swimmer Dinko Geshev (BUL) was tested positive to the substance Cannabis (Class S.8 Cannabinoids)following a doping control test conducted with the occasion of the National Swimming Championships for Teams.

The Board of the Bulgarian Swimming Federation imposed a sanction of 3 months’ ineligibility on the athlete starting on January 23, 2012, the day of the provisional suspension.

Another Bulgarian swimmer, Ilya Vasilev has been hit with a year-long suspension for clenbuterol, which is a diuretic and a masking agent (though not directly a performance enhancer).His suspension began in January,

This is the same drug that American Jessica Hardy tested positive for, and he received a similar year-long ban.

Vasilev was not an international-level swimmer, but did score a bronze medal in the 200 back at his country’s National Championships last year with a 2:07.85 in long course.