The Recent Instances Of Steroid Use In Swimming

The Fédération Internationale de Natation – FINA is an International Swimming Federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administering international competition in the aquatic sports. Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, FINA has many swimming sports governing bodies operating under its umbrella to curb the performance enhancing drugs & steroid use in swimming.
The swimming international governing body’s (FINA’s) policy on steroid use in swimming articulates that any athlete who tests positive for steroid use must be suspended for two years, regardless of whether the swimmer knowingly or unknowingly ingested a banned substance.

The French Swimming Federation, operating under FINA, imposed a sanction of one (1) year’s suspension on the open water swimmer Carlo Bertoncelli (ITA) on 1 July 2006, when the competitor was tested positive for the substance finasteride following a doping control test conducted with the occasion of French Open Water Cup in Beaumont-du-Lac, France.
The Brazilian Swimming Confederation imposed a sanction of two (2) years’ suspension on the swimmer Renata de Oliveira Burgos (BRA) from 14 December 2006, when the swimmer was tested positive to the steroid use. The agency found the swimmer using the substance stanozolol (Class S1. Anabolic Agents) following a doping control test conducted with the occasion of the Open CBDA Correios de Nataçao.
Mr. Anatoliy Poliakov (RUS), who was tested positive to the substance boldenone (Class S.1.1.a Exogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroids) on 23 January 2007, was provisionally suspend from the 25 April 2007, under the FINA Unannounced Out-of-Competition Testing Program. According to the FINA decision, Mr. Anatoliy Poliakov shall be ineligible for two (2) years.
On the occasion of the First FINA Men Water Polo Development Trophy held in Kuwait City (KUW), Mr. Mehdi Sebou (MAR) was tested positive to the substance 19-Norandrosterone, Metabolite of nandrolone (Class S.1.1.a Anabolic Androgenic Steroids) on 8 May 2007. The FINA Executive decided, as per FINA Rule DC 7.1.12, to provisionally suspend Mr. Mehdi Sebou from the 6 July 2007 until a hearing before the FINA Doping Panel can be made.