FINA announced today that Iranian swimmer Raham Pieman Pieravani had been given a two-year suspension after testing positive for Letrozole (Class S.4 Hormone and Metabolic Modulators) at a swim meet on January 15, 2015.
Letrozole is a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor that is typically used to fight breast cancer, especially after surgery, and often used for women after menopause. In layman’s terms, it is a drug that decreases the amount of estrogen the body produces, which helps combat these types of cancer.
It is also sometimes used by athletes and bodybuilders to reverse the effects of anabolic steroids, such as bloating due to excess water retention, acne, and gynecomastia.
The FINA announcement came after the completion of proceedings by the Iran National Anti-Doping Organisation, who imposed a sanction of 2 years’ ineligibility on Pieravani starting March 3, 2015.