Japanese Olympian and 2017 World Championships silver medalist Junya Koga has reportedly failed two drug tests in the month of March and subsequently removed from the Japanese national team. According to according to Agence France-Presse, Koga tested positive for traces of ‘banned muscle-building substances’, which the backstroking ace denied taking knowingly.
“I feel ashamed, miserable and frustrated,” Koga, 30, told the press today. “I couldn’t believe it — I was in shock, I thought it was some mistake.
“I didn’t know if it was real, or a dream. I never took the substance detected intentionally. But I’m responsible for proving that. To those who support me, I’m deeply sorry.”
The Japanese Swimming Federation’s documentation indicates Koga tested positive for traces of androgen receptor modulators LGD-4033 and SARM S-22 in an out-of-competition test in Tokyo. He now faces a possible 4-year ban which, with Koga already at 30 years of age, would rule him out of Tokyo 2020 and well beyond.
Koga has asked WADA to conduct a hearing to allow him to explain the circumstances surrounding his case, however, he is off the 2018 Asian Games roster to which he was just recently named. Additionally, the news comes on day 1 of the 2018 Japan Open, the 2nd national meet at which swimmers can qualify for the Pan Pacific Championships squad.
The former Club Wolverine Elite athlete’s positive test checks-in as at least the 2nd Japanese swimming-related positive so far this year. In January it was announced that a Japanese swimmer competing at an intercollegiate competition in Osaka Prefecture back in September tested positive for a banned substance. The swimmer involved has participated in national freestyle sprints at the high school level, but has not represented the nation at any senior international competitions.
Yes, I am biased but I firmly believe it was an accident. Knowing Koga, he would rather lose than test positive for ANY substance.
I no longer care to have an opinion .but I would like to know how easy this method is to mask , to fly under the radar & other methods of avoiding a positive . It obvioudly works & if someone like Koga is on to it , so are others . . If we bring nations into it , suspicion is on Japan & USA.
I read somewhere that heclaims that a diet supplement is responsible for the positive test. How does he know that? Did he send all his supplements to a lab? Is it written on the package? I don’t think it’s the only supplement he uses.
I hate to say it, but I think swimmers who have been consistently drug-tested and in good standing for over a decade should get more leniency. Maybe a probation period with more regular, frequent tests. The life of a pro athlete involves all kinds of supplements and crazy diets that might inadvertently cause a positive test.
On the topic of drugs…
Does anyone really think a 33-year-old Mike Alexandrov did cocaine for its performance-enhancing qualities? Ironically, marijuana can still lead to a suspension – it is wide-spread, has no performance-enhancing qualities, is legal in many jurisdictions, but it stays in the human body for longer than most PEDs.
Weeeeeeeed
SARMs are made in a lab. The draw is that it tries to add the benefits of steroids without the bad side effects (basically a weak steroid). He most likely took it straight up. And honestly, it isn’t that huge of a deal. Most of those guys at or near the top are either on gear or are taking everything they can that are legal under USADA/WADA. It’s just the way it is. Swimming isn’t that much different than any other sport, despite what our community thinks (sorry, Dressel is definitely on stuff)
Agreed Tea Rex
Just wondering, but was there ever a point in time that Koga wasn’t in the drug testing pool?
Disappointed.
Hahahaha it’s always “unintentional.”
As a former athlete who was regularly surrounded by athletes like him, I can assure you it’s always intentional.
I’m a retired swimmer now body builder, I took the sarm Ostarine to help heal a rotator cuff tear a while back after a lot of research. These SARMS (Selective Androgen Receptors) are the equalvilent of weaker steroids and are mostly illegal in addition to not being easy to obtain. They are dosed via liquid as they are usually sold exclusively as a research chemical. It takes a few weeks for them to kick in and effects are usually only noticeable when exercising over the course of a month. Since it’s just a drop of liquid it’s possible someone could have been slipping it to him, but it’s impossible to prove that. You would never find these in a pre… Read more »
Could it be possible there was cross contamination with a legal product he was taking? Like machines used to process both weren’t clean properly in between the product lines being run?
Not an expert but I doubt it. Only research companies sell SARM’s in a legal gray area. They’re only available legally as a liquid form for “research purposes only” and “not for human consumption”. This stuff is made in labs and not big factories, it is a drug similar to steroids. However, I’d like to hear what he has to say before making a final judgement. Everyone deserves due process of law.
Highly doubtful, and even if they were…. not sure it would be enough to trigger a test.
Wow! Why do these athletes continue to break the rules? I have no compassion for the outright cheaters; and they should be banned for life.
Mike, Im sorry but you have absolutely no clue of what you’re talking about.
Observer, you are wrong. I was a conference all star athlete at the high school and college level. This isn’t rocket science unless the perpetrator turns it into it by trying to mask what he is taking. The list of banned substance is out there. Read it and follow the rules. If you cheat you should be banned!
Mike…. It is obvious that you weren’t an all star athlete based off of that statement. There are many PED’s out there and even more illegal substances that some would argue offer no competitive advantage… However until he wins or loses his appeal he should be given the benefit of the doubt. All it takes is one person lying to you about ingredients and it could screw up your entire athletic career… And then people like you bring out their pitchforks because you “know better” or didn’t have that happen to you in your historic athletic career….
I don’t see you commenting this stuff when a story comes out about an american athlete….
He has the right to appeal. All I’m saying is if you are a cheater and there is no question the cheaters should be banned! Isn’t that what the testing is all about? Equal playing field for everyone.Why should any swimmer lose to another swimmer because they took banned substances? It doesn’t matter what country they are from.
And, unfortunately, supplements may contain traces/amounts of ingredients not listed that the athlete is unaware of. Or, Coach could be slipping something into the gatorade. Granted, I think SARMs would be pretty unlikely to show up by accident.
The way you phrased this statement makes it seem like a large number, or even a majority, of athletes are failing drug tests, which simply isn’t the case.