On a day where a rush of doping tests in track & field shook the sporting world, we did some looking around, and have discovered two additional Russian swimmers who are under provisional suspension for positive doping tests.
On May 15th, 2013, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency handed provisional suspensions to Anastasia Krapivina and Victoria Mukhametova while they await the adjudication of their cases. Both tests came at the Russia Cup in late April that also served as the Russians’ National Championship Trials in Kazan, Russia.
Krapivina’s test came after the 800 freestyle final on April 21st, and Mukhametova’s came on April 22nd after the 200 fly final.
Both swimmers are teenagers and had relatively bright futures. Krapivina won the women’s 800 free title at the meet, though with just an 8:45.52 it was not in a fast enough time to qualify for the World Championships. She is only 18 years old.
Mukhametova, who was 14 at the time of the test but has since turned 15, won the women’s 15-16 (more precisely, born in 1997 and 1998) class of the 200 fly at the Russia Cup in 2:20.01, which could have meant a spot on the European Junior Championship Team.
Earlier in that meet, the young swimmer was a 1:03.5 in the 100 fly and 2:04.6 in the 200 free.
The press release by RUSADA, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, did not indicate what either swimmer tested positive for, and no final decision has been released.
This is one of a string of doping cases in Russian swimming in early 2013 numbering now at least 6. Others include:
- Daria Ustinova’s warning.
- Nikita Maksimov receives two-year ban for anabolic steroids.
- Olympian Natalia Lovtsova banned for two-and-a-half years.
- European Short Course Champion Ksenia Moskvina banned for 6 years, and Olympian Ekaterina Andreeva banned for 18 months.
I think the former head of USADA, Doug Logan, made just a couple of valid arguments:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2013/07/14/track-fight-against-doping-tyson-gay/2516727/
If we have a rule that almost no one complies with, and non-compliance with the rule doesn’t harm others, the legitimacy of that rule is disputable. This is a bit theoretical since the rate of the compliance of doping rules remains unknown.
I wouldn’t go that far, i.e. allow everything as we must protect the health of kids, but myself I’m following more Ato Boldon’s stance on the issue as he would legalize everything else but “hard stuff” such as steroids, human growth hormone and blood doping which should remain banned.
What about masking agents?
I don’t know. I’ve no detailed view on this as I am not a specialist in these issues. But the system clearly needs overhauling if comments that “everybody uses” are even close to be correct.
Because if we accept everybody uses clause is true, catching so-called “cheaters” is not necessarily making the world better place but perhaps just adding injustice. How is it cheating if everybody cheats?
I think it was great Job by RUSADA, and nothing more.
and as we seen USADA also doing great job.
It was methylhexaneamine – it’s not cheating, it’s idiotism
Maybe one, two, or three cases would be considered idiocy, but 6 is flat out suspicious. And yes, it is cheating. They don’t hand out punishments for being stupid.
it simple – for cheating -2 year,
for being stupid – 6 month
It was methylhexaneamine -is not prohibited in training
I wonder with so many cases of methylhexamine, whether it’s a masking agent for more serious PED
I know there was debate on the post on Vlad’s 100 at WUG about whether athletes getting caught cheating makes for a good or bad day in the sport. It’s a day of mixed emotions. From an emotional perspective, you can feel almost sympathetic for the athletes if you were a fan because they made a bad decision (I’m not saying I agree with this, either). From a fan of the sport’s perspective, it’s a good day because the cheaters were caught and that (hopefully) helped in cleaning the sport.
“Cheaters never win, and winners never cheat.”
I agree with this.
Anytime a cheater got caught is always a good day.
Yes. Even if it showcases the corruption in the sport, any day a cheater is caught is a good day. Removing impurities is a must to move forward with integrity. I think we can all agree on that.
well yess but also from a fans’ perspective it’s sad because you might have been a fan or the cheater. and just knowing that the sport is dirty is disheartening, though it is balanced out by knowing that fewer people are getting away with it
5 cases – methylhexaneamine
The first 4 -from november 2012, Maksumov -march, last two – april
According to Craig lord’s report, 4 was reported in March, including Daria ustinova.
And then, in the other report, Nikita Maksimov was reported. So that’s 5 in March (althogh it is possible that the number includes maksimov).
Now, with another two, so that’s 7 in 2 months?
Findings like these make you wonder just how much credability has been lost in sporting over the years…