Aussie Olympian Bol says sample results clear him of doping
Peter Bol says he is exonerated of doping, but Australia’s anti-drugs agency will continue investigating the star middle-distance runner.
Bol says he has been cleared of doping because his A and B samples from a drugs test last October donāt match.
āMy provisional suspension has been lifted by Sport Integrity Australia,ā Bol posted on Twitter.
āThe relief I am feeling is hard to describe.ā
Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) says the case involving Bol, arguably the nationās highest-profile track athlete, remains open.
āThe results of the Part B SampleĀ analysis is an Atypical Finding (ATF) for recombinant EPO,ā SIA said in a statement.
āThe relevant rules require a WADA-accredited laboratory to obtain a second opinion from an expert ā¦ an ATF is not the same as a negative test result.
āAn ATF is a report from a WADA-accredited laboratory which requiresĀ further investigation as provided by the World Anti-Doping Code.
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āThe investigation into the matter remains ongoing.
āSport Integrity Australia will, as part of its investigation, proceed toĀ consider whether any anti-doping rule violation/s have been committed.
āIt is not possible to provide a time frame at thisĀ point.ā
Bol, who finished fourth in the 800m final at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, was told on January 10 of a positive result in his A sample from an October test.
But a second sample, the B sample,Ā ādid not confirm my A sampleā, he wrote.
Former Australian anti-doping chief Richard Ings said the situation was unusual.
āI canāt recall the last time that happened,ā Ings, former chief executive of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, wrote on Twitter.
āIām sure it has but itās exceedingly rare ā¦Ā questions need asking of the lab and how it processed and assessed the A sample.ā
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Bolās A sample from an October 11 test returned readings of erythropoietin (EPO).
The dual Olympian and Commonwealth Games silver medallist again emphasised he had never taken a banned substance.
Bolās lawyer Paul Greene told the ABC it was a ādisgraceā the athleteās initial test result was leaked to the public.
āThe last month has been nothing less than a nightmare,ā Bol wrote.
āI wish that the results of my A sample had not been leaked, but there is nothing I can do about that.
āTo say it one more time: I am innocent and have not taken this substance as I was accused.
āI have NEVER in my life purchased, researched, possessed, administered or used synthetic EPO or any other prohibited substance, and never will.ā
Bol was provisionally banned by SIA and missed this yearās first major track and field meet in Adelaide on Saturday night. In his absence, crowds dipped by more than half compared with his appearance 12 months ago.
The next meet on the domestic calendar is the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne on February 23, a World Athletics Continental Tour event.
āLast month I told everyone that I was innocent and asked that everyone in Australia believe me and let the process play out,ā Bol wrote.
āI was hopeful that the process would exonerate me. This morning, I am relieved to report that it did.ā
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