New Twist in Cielo Case: Lab Denies Cross-Contamination Was Their Fault (UPDATED WITH CBDA RESPONSE)

Yesterday, we reported that the source of Cielo’s supplement contamination had been found and confirmed to be a labaratory where his supplements are prepared. Today, however, the Portugese-language site Swim.com.br says that the lab is singing a different tune today.

They are saying that they always take very careful sanitation measures, including never using the same tray on the same day, and that the cross-contamination was not their fault. The lab, which could be facing heavy civil or criminal charges, says that the only cross-contamination would have been through the air, but that they still feel as though it was not their fault. This runs contrary to what the official CBDA release said that the lab told them during its investigation.

They are now mulling over whether or not to sue Cielo and the CBDA for the Brazilian equivalent of slander.

More new information has come out in support of Cielo’s claims, however, as Cielo’s standard, legal supplements provided to a WADA-certified lab in Brazil were confirmed to have trace amounts of furosemide that Cielo, along with Henrique Barbosa, Vinicius Waked, and Nicholas Santos tested positive for at the Maria Lenk Trophy.

The head of the pharmacy in question, that has been kept confidential, has said that she was surprised that there was supplement to be tested, as she was told that he had already used all of the supplement.

The case becomes much more convoluted at this point, and probably opens up the door for a full FINA investigation into the matter. This search will have to quickly kick into high gear, as there’s only three weeks left until swimming begins in Shanghai. The disaster scenario would be for FINA to let the Brazilians begin competition and then decide that sufficient evidence existed to give them a suspension.

(UPDATE 7/3): The CBDA has not released their documentation yet, but they’ve indicated that a statement signed by the lab splits the difference between reports of full fault and those of no-fault. The CBDA claims to have paperwork that indicates that the pharmacy in question would not blatantly accept blame, but wouldn’t rule it out either. More information as it becomes available.

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aswimfan
12 years ago

CBDA should have done the proper thing: give the swimmers the ban.
Can FINA give CBDA a penalty or something?
How many more brazilian swimmers are tolerated for testing postitive before something is done?
And how could they only give warning to Vincicious Waked while he has tested TWICE!

If FINA let all this slide, this will set very very bad precedent for the sports. When something similar happens in the future in China for example, the chinese federation could just take a leaf from CBDA’s book an argue that FINA allowed it.

12 years ago

aswimfan,
CBDA is protecting ONLY itself, not swimmers.FINA knew it about the case before Paris Open, the swimmers, only AFTER the events, in the same Sunday.
LADETEC is a trusty lab, CBDA not a chance to be trusted!
That situation smells bad…

aswimfan
12 years ago

So it seems in effort to protect Cielo et al, CBDA created a lie and said the pharmacy confessed they prepared the supplements carelessly.

How typical.

12 years ago

Braden Keith,
the damage is done!

There are a lot of talk in brazilian forums about that… just think what will have happened if Phelps and Lochte have drinken a Gatorade spiked?Even you proof a no fault, the accusation is sometimes havier than the true facts.

Sad, sad days for our sport.

Clubcoach
12 years ago

I find this to be an interesting line in the story – and where this episode may turn: “The head of the pharmacy in question, that has been kept confidential, has said that she was surprised that there was supplement to be tested, as she was told that he had already used all of the supplement.”

12 years ago

Just remembering something for all the guys:
FINA will do a strong analisys in QUANTITY of substance found in caffeine pills and urine of swimmers.IF is really true pH are unaltered, that take down steroids covering in first step(The core problem).(high ban penalty)
The second step, is about diuretic effect.(low to mid ban penalty)

Right now, they(FINA) already know quantities, and all stuff in this case.

joe
12 years ago

I can’t believe FINA will let this slide…it is way too sketchy! They have to be more consistent. They say they were lenient because it was their first time. It was Hardy’s first positive and she had to miss an Olympics, sit out a year and the Brazilians got a slap on the wrist. VERY SUSPECT!

Socaltriboy
12 years ago

Seems like Hardy had to withdraw from olympics and serve time, that should
be the least thatvthey should do regardless of culpability.

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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