Irish swimmer fails dope test

Wednesday, 2 April 2008

Andrew Bree, the only Irish swimmer to have so far qualified for the Olympic Games, has failed a drugs test, writes RTE Sports John Kenny.

A sample given by Bree at the European Short Course championships in Debrecen in Hungary last December has tested positive for a banned substance.

Swim Ireland are working with the appropriate authorities and Bree to determine the next course of action.

The Irish sports council says they have also received notice of the positive test on an Irish swimmer from FINA the world governing body.

Bree, 26, who has been based in Tennessee University in the US for the last few years, has apparently tested positive for a banned substance found, it is claimed, in an inhaler, bought over the counter in the US.

A statement from Bree's family read: 'We believe that this negative test is the result of Andrew unwittingly taking a stimulant contained within an over-the-counter decongestant.

'Andrew has never knowingly taken a banned substance and abhors the use of performance enhancing drugs. He will move to clear his name as quickly as possible so that he can continue preparations for the Beijing Olympics.'

No further comment will be made by Bree or his family at this time.

The claim has a parallel as alpine skier Alain Baxter, the first Briton to win an alpine skiing medal at the winter Olympics tested positive for methamphetamine after he won a bronze in the men's slalom at the Salt Lake Winter Olympics.

Baxter claimed that he also unwittingly tested positive after buying an over the counter nasal spray bought in the United States. The International Skiing Federation accepted his explanation and banned him for the minimum of three months.

Bree can now ask FINA to analyse the B sample he gave to drugs testers and is likely now to throw himself on the mercy of FINA, the world governing body, claiming that the positive sample was the result of a genuine mistake on his part.