Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.World swimming's governing body said today it is ready to lift the four-year suspensions given to two swimmers who tested positive for nandrolone, citing new evidence that the steroid could have been present in meat they consumed.
Any roll-back of the suspension could have wider implications for the numerous cases of positive nandrolone findings among elite athletes.
Long-distance swimmers David Mecca-Medina of Spain and Igor Majcen of Slovenia were suspended in August, 1999, by FINA after testing positive for the steroid.
The two subsequenlty lost an appeal against the ban on February 29 in the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.
The swimmers argued that the positive tests came after they ate meat of uncastrated pigs in a local dish called "sarapatel" before an open-water meet in Brazil.
In a statement today, FINA said lawyers for Mecca-Medina and Majcen offered evidence that recent tests carried out in Belgium showed three volunteers had eaten a meal of boar meat and subsequently showed signs of nandrolone metabolites.
FINA said the results "warrant further examinations which may lead to a review" of the suspensions.
FINA said the lawyers for the two swimmers would file a "revision petition" with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. FINA said if the CAS agreed to review the case the bans would be temporarily lifted.
FINA said the International Olympic Committee's Medical Commission would be asked to conduct further tests.
FINA said it had agreed to the review to "contribute to fair experiments in order ot rmove any possible uncertainties with regar to finds of nandrolone metabolites."
Nandrolone, a common steroid that has been available for decades and is easily detectable in standard urine tests, produced a total of 343 positive cases across all sports last year.
Among the high-profile athletes who have tested positive for nandrolone are former Olympic 100-metre champion Linford Christie, former world 200-metre champion Merlene Ottey and former Olympic 5,000-metre gold medalist Dieter Baumann.
In March, track and field's world governing body announced it would carry out research to determine whether food supplements or herbal preparations can trigger positive tests for nandrolone.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments