Andrew Bree, the only Irish swimmer to have qualified for the Olympic Games, has accepted the results of his positive doping test, writes John Kenny.
Bree has accepted that testers found Levmetaphetamine in his urine sample given at the European Short Course Championships at Debrecen in Holland last December and will not ask for the B sample to be tested by FINA, the sport's world governing body.
Bree's A sample tested positive test for the banned substance which he claimed was present in a Vick's inhaler which he purchased in the US which is different from the UK and Irish versions. He hopes FINA will look favourably on his contention that his positive test was as result of carelessness on his part, rather than being performance enhancing.
Alain Baxter, the British alpine skier also tested positive for the substance and was banned for three months and stripped of his bronze medal after the 2003 Winter Olympics. Bahamian Leevan Sands, fourth in the triple jump at the 2005 world championships, was banned for six months by the IAAF after Levmethamfetamine was found in a sample in February 2006.
The 26-year-old was due to recieve €12,000 under the 2008 elite carding scheme from the Irish Sports Council, but that has been put on hold.
Last week, the body’s anti-doping unit released their 2007 report and highlighted the controversy caused by the inhaler. All competitors under their auspices had already been given guidelines on inhaler usage.
FINA is likely to convene a disciplinary council meeting in the near future to rule on Bree’s fate.
Bree Family Statement
‘We informed FINA by letter that we would not be exercising the opportunity to test the B sample – thereby accepting that the listed substance in question, L-metamphetamine, was likely to have been present in Andrew’s body last December.
‘We have asked FINA that a hearing may be convened as soon as possible as we strongly believe that this is a purely innocent error on Andrew’s part and that we can prove this, hopefully allowing this issue to be resolved quickly so that Andrew can continue his preparations for the Olympics.
‘L-metamphetamine is present in the US-manufactured Vicks decongestant but not in the UK version of the product and Andrew unwittingly was using the American product at the time of the test last December.
‘Over many years, both before and after this test, Andrew has never tested positively for any substance and he abhors the use of drugs in sport.
‘L-metamphetamine is a listed substance, but informed scientific opinion states that it has no performance enhancing effects unlike other amphetamines and we are very hopeful that FINA will see that Andrew has made an innocent mistake and make a decision that will ensure he swims for Ireland in Beijing as planned.’
