Australian Sam Flint has been suspended for two years after a positive test at the 2013 Queensland Short Course Championships in Brisbane held last year. His positive test came on September 1, 2013 and his suspension became effective on March 14, 2014.
He is the 3rd swimmer to be announced by FINA in the last two weeks for a positive methylhexaneamine test, which has become one of the most common substances resulting in suspensions in swimming. His suspension was doled out by Swimming Australia, but is in line with the two-year suspensions given to a pair of Indonesians by the FINA Doping Panel earlier this year.
The 21-year old Flint swam the 3rd-best time of his career in the 100 SCM freestyle on the day of his suspension with a 50.15.
The drug, which was originallly produced in the 1940’s as a nasal decongestant, was deemed as illegal to market to the public by the U.S. FDA last year. In Australia, it was banned in 2012.
The substance has the effect of constricting blood vessels, which can lead to more efficient use when employed during training for those with devious intentions.
Actually, he was ordered to take that medication post-op after a nasal surgery he had had – IT WAS DOCTOR’S ORDERS. The ban was lifted after they realised it wasn’t his fault he was forced to take a medication that happened to be a banned substance in swimming. Don’t go around slandering someones good name without knowing the whole story!
These damned Aussies… With their cheating ways… can’t trust em as far as you can toss em- what’s that? Oh, we only get mad when it’s Chinese or Russians?
Really? Your comparing the Aussies with the Russians? Guess you’ve been living under a rock.