Brazilian Sprinter Gabriel Santos Tests Positive for Anabolic Steroid

23-year old Brazilian sprinter Gabriel Santos has been flagged for a positive doping test, Brazil’s Globo Sport is reporting. Santos swam on Brazil’s 400 free relay at the 2016 Olympic Games, the 2017 World Championships, and the 2018 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. That includes winning gold at Pan Pacs and silver at the World Championships.

He also swam in the 100 free individually for Brazil at the World Championships in 2017, placing 14th.

He was selected as part of the 2019 Brazilian roster to compete at both the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru and the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. The swimming portion of the World Championships begin on July 21st, and the swimming portion of the Pan American Games starts on August 6th.

Santos, who hails from São Paulo, was administered an out-of-competition doping test on May 20th in his home city, which came back testing positive for Clostebol. The substance is considered a weak anabolic androgenic steroid on its own, but was used as one ingredient of oral turinabol, a staple of the East German state-sponsored doping program back in the 1970s and 1980s. It’s the same substance that another Brazilian sprinter, Henrique Rodrigues, tested positive for in 2017.

Rodrigues was ultimately suspended for 1 year retroactive to the date of the test.

As for Santos, he now has 10 days to request a test of his “B” sample in the FINA-conducted test. The test was conducted by the Institute Armand-Frappier in Laval, Quebec, Canada.

Santos finished 4th in the 100 free at the 2019 Maria Lenk Trophy in 48.53. The 5th-place finisher was Andre Calvelo in 48.74. He was included on the Brazilian roster for the World Championships as a prelims-only or alternate swimmer. Bruno Fratus (48.95) and Joao de Lucca (49.07), both of whom are already on the Worlds roster, were 6th and 7th in that race.

Santos was announced on Tuesday as a member of the DC Trident in the newly-formed International Swimming League.

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Usausausa
4 years ago

I’m so scared swimming has turned into track and field or cycling and we just don’t realize it yet.

Blackflag82
4 years ago

I just want to make sure I’m clear about this…Santos actually uses a steroid and get’s a 12 month suspension. Lochte pumps himself full of vitamins and gets a 14 month suspension.

I mean, I know it’s not quite as black and white, but is there something major I’m missing as to why a longer suspension is given to someone not doping versus someone who now has a positive test?

Superfan
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

How influential is the federation on the penalty? I know Americans believe most “other” countries are deliberately cheating but when American tests positive, it must be a mistake! Is the panel that makes the final call a fair representation of world swimming?

Blackflag82
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

many thanks for the clarifications…I find this almost as hard to follow than all the NCAA rules/guidelines :/

Wirotomo
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

I think Blackflag82’s statement refer to Nicholas dos Santos doping case.
And this is another Santos: Gabriel Santos.

Rafael
4 years ago

Better now than at worlds

Love to Swim
4 years ago

Brazilian sprinters and tested positive for doping.

Name a more iconic duo.

Just one thing
Reply to  Love to Swim
4 years ago

Sun Yang and fights in the warmup pool?

Pvdh
4 years ago

this dude went full sail with closto, no masking agent or anything

Pro- roids
4 years ago

I think they should just allow steroids all together. It fixes the problem instantly. It’s proven that if you use too much, it negatively affects your athletic ability.

Swimy04
4 years ago

It seems like it was involuntary and that the substance was in a cream/medicine used to speed up the healing process of a wound (in his case a new tattoo he did a month ago) – source Brazilian news… He should’ve paid attention to that, but at least he didn’t intake the substance knowingly and expecting performance improvement (at least it seems like it)

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Swimy04
4 years ago

Plus, she’s not his type.

Doconc
Reply to  Swimy04
4 years ago

A laughable lie

Anonymous
Reply to  Swimy04
4 years ago

The cream is the delivery system for the anabolic steroid. Anabolic steroid cream is not used to heal a wound

Luigi
Reply to  Swimy04
4 years ago

Case solved, then. I suggest a slap on the wrist.

Pizza man
Reply to  Swimy04
4 years ago

Therese Johaug had the same excuse for Clestebol a few years back, as did Henrique Rodriguez. It sounds like a premeditated excuse to me.

Observer
4 years ago

Oh man… (HUGE FACEPALM)

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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