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Lead Stories: Monday, October 13, 2008

Slovenian Federation Upholds Ceplak Doping Ban

Posted March 27th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports

The Slovenian Athletics Federation (AZS) has upheld a two-year doping ban for Olympic 800m bronze medalist Jolanda Ceplak.

“It was a difficult decision to reach, but we have concluded that Jolanda Ceplak is guilty,” said Slavko Cerne, the president of the federation’s Disciplinary Commission after a seven-hour session that didn’t conclude until after midnight Thursday.

The 31-year-old Ceplak, the world indoor record holder in the 800m, tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO at an out-of-competition test in Monte Carlo on June 18, 2007. The “B” sample test confirmed the A sample finding, resulting in a provisional suspension by the sport’s international governing body, the IAAF, on July 26, 2007.

Citing illness, Ceplak was not present at the hearing, which was held behind closed doors due to “the personal and sensitive nature of some of topics” being discussed. Cerne stressed that the hearing could have been rescheduled in order for Ceplak to attend, but her attorney declined making that request.
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Billiards Player Suspended for Doping

Posted March 18th, 2008 at 9:15 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Drugs In Sports

While traditional Olympic sports like athletics and cycling tend to draw the headlines in doping cases, the sport of billiards finds itself in that unenviable position today.

The Associated Press reported this morning that Germany’s billiards champion, Axel Buescher, has tested positive for an EPO masking agent. According to the German Billiard Union, Buescher’s positive test occurred at the German championships last November where he won the carom billiards title.

In a familiar refrain, Buescher said the masking agent was an ingredient in a prescription medication for which he had not received a medical waiver. He has been suspended for one year after he passed on his right to have his “B” sample tested.

Editor’s Note: A deeper question may be, what possible advantage can a billiards champion derive from taking EPO? In general, it seems incredibly sad that drug testing would even be necessary in a sport like billiards. However, under today’s dark cloud of drugs in sport, apparently individuals in all sports and hobbies will do just about anything for a potential advantage over the competition.
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Slovenia’s Ceplak Edges Closer to Two-Year Doping Ban

Posted November 20th, 2007 at 2:10 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Drugs In Sports

Olympic 800m bronze medallist Jolanda Ceplak of Slovenia edged closer to a two-year doping ban today after the nation’s athletics federation rejected any doubts about the validity of the athlete’s positive test for EPO last June.

“All doubts about the tests’ accuracy have been disproved,” said Peter Kukovica, president of the AZS, Slovenia’s athletics federation, announcing the unanimous decision by the federation’s anti-doping commission.

The 31-year-old Ceplak, the world indoor record holder in the 800m, tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO after an out-of-competition test in Monte Carlo on June 18. The B sample test confirmed the A sample finding, resulting in a provisional suspension by the sport’s international governing body, the IAAF, on July 26.

In September, the anti-doping commission was unable to reach a decision in the case, pending an additional investigation. Expert testimony since from two noted biochemists and the Slovenian athletics team doctor has dispelled any possibility of testing irregularities, Kukovica said.
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Managers Will Not Represent Athletes Who Have Been Banned

Posted November 15th, 2007 at 2:51 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Announcements, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports

The Association of Athletics Managers (AAM) agreed at their autumn meeting in Miami last week that its members will not represent any athlete who has tested positive and was convicted of a doping violation for which he or she has served a two-year ban or longer.

The AAM represents 29 athletics managers and management firms, including big players like Jos Hermens’ Global Sports Communications and Federico Rosa’s Rosa & Associatti.

The move was applauded by the Euromeetings group, which represents 48 indoor and outdoor meetings in Europe.
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PRRO Circuit Takes Tough New Anti-Doping Stance

Posted October 26th, 2007 at 10:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Drugs In Sports

The independent organizers of the Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) Circuit have adopted a toughened anti-doping stance.

Under the new policy the five PRRO Circuit events –which include the World’s Best 10-K in San Juan, Puerto Rico; the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington, D.C.; the Lilac Bloomsday Run in Spokane, Wash.; the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Ga.; and the Utica Boilermaker 15-K in Utica, N.Y.– will no longer invite any athletes who have returned to competition after serving a doping suspension of at least two years.

This new new measure comes after two years of mandatory drug testing at all PRRO events which has been paid carried out by the United States Anti-Doping Agency and paid for by the individual events.
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Note on the News:
Kaouch provisionally suspended for doping

Posted August 10th, 2007 at 6:25 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports

A published report said that the IAAF has provisionally suspended Moroccan 1500m runner, Adil Kaouch, after he failed a drug test administered after the Golden League meeting in Rome. The 28 year-old Kaouch was definitely a medal favorite at the upcoming IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Osaka. He ran personal bests this year at 1500m (3:30.77) and the mile (3:51.14).

You can read the story at this link:

http://www.magharebia.com:80/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/sports/awi/newsbriefs/sports/2007/08/10/newsbrief-02

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IAAF Ratifies Half-Marathon World Record

Posted July 18th, 2007 at 10:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The IAAF announced today that they had ratified Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru’s most recent world record for the half-marathon, but had rejected his previous mark for lack of a proper doping control. Also, Wanjiru’s record was ratified at a value two seconds faster than was previously reported.

At the Fortis City-Pier-City Half-Marathon in Den Haag on Saturday, March 17, Wanjiru was clocked at 58 minutes and 35 seconds, his second pending world record set this year (he also ran 58:53 at then Ras Al Khaimah International Half-Marathon in the United Arab Emirates on February 9). Surprisingly, Wanjiru’s mark from Den Haag has been revised downward by two seconds to 58:33. No explanation was given for the revision.

Wanjiru’s previous record from the UAE was rejected by the IAAF because the athlete did not undergo a doping test for EPO, the blood-boosting drug which elevates the concentration of oxygen-carrying red blood cells.
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2007 Boston Marathon results finalized, adjusted

Posted July 17th, 2007 at 7:25 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The Boston Athletic Association has finalized their results for the 2007 Boston Marathon. The 111th edition of the race had total of 23,869 entrants (14,344 male and 9,525 female), 20,646 starters (12,570 male and 8,076 female) and 20,338 finishers (12,364 male and 7,974). Given the rainy and windy weather, the 98.5% finisher rate is noteworthy.

Also, in the elite women’s race, the woman who crossed the finish line in seventh place, Lyubov Denisova of Russia, has been disqualfied for failing an out-of-competition doping test in March. Therefore, all athletes in the women’s results are elevated by one place. The restated results for open and USA Championship athletes are as follows:

1. Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUS) 2:29:18 $100,000
2. Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT) 2:29:58 40,000
3. Madai Perez (MEX) 2:30:16 22,500
4. Rita Jeptoo (KEN) 2:33:08 18,000
5. Deena Kastor (USA) 2:35:09 14,000 + $25,000*
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Dutch runner Choukoud banned for doping violation

Posted July 11th, 2007 at 5:11 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Drugs In Sports

Dutch distance runner Khalid Choukoud will not be permitted to run in any competitions sanctioned by the Dutch federation (KNAU), the European Athletics Association or the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) due to a positive doping test for nandrolone in early June.

A formal doping hearing will be held separately to determine Choukoud’s punishment, likely a two-year suspension.

Choukoud placed third in the Dutch 10,000m Championships in 2006 with a 29:21.98 performance. He finished 9th at the 2006 European Cross Country Championships under-23 race last December in San Giorgio su Legnano, Italy, and was the top Dutch finisher in that section. Those results would be allowed to stand as they occurred prior to the June test.
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2006 Grandma’s Marathon champion disqualified and banned for doping

Posted December 17th, 2006 at 4:06 PM by Jenna Sumara

Section: News & Results, Announcements, Marathons, Drugs In Sports

Six months after the completetion of the Grandma’s Marathon, women’s champion, Halina Karnatsevich, has been disqualified for failing her post-race drug test.

The race was originally held on July 17th in Duluth, Minnesota.

Officials have now declared Ukrainian Svetlana Nekhorosh the winner. Nekhorosh will now also receive the $8,000 prize purse.
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