Australia runner Peter Bol cleared of doping after false positive test
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Australia's Peter Bol (left) was provisionally suspended in January after testing positive in an out-of-competition urine test last October.
PHOTO: AFP
MELBOURNE – Australia’s anti-doping authority has dropped its investigation into athlete Peter Bol in the lead-up to the World Championships after finding that his positive test for synthetic erythropoietin (EPO) was wrong.
The Sudan-born middle distance runner, who narrowly missed bronze and finished fourth in the 800 metres at the Tokyo Olympics, was provisionally suspended in January after testing positive in an out-of-competition urine test last October.
The provisional suspension was lifted a month later after the “B” sample of his test did not match its “A” sample.
Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) continued its investigation, though, saying the “B” sample was an “atypical finding” and not negative – meaning it did not confirm the original test.
On Tuesday, SIA said it had investigated the results using a different laboratory accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and a Wada-recognised EPO expert, and found Bol’s “A” sample was negative.
“As a result, Sport Integrity Australia has taken the decision not to progress an anti-doping rule violation for this sample. The investigation into this sample is finalised,” it said.
Bol, who maintained his innocence throughout, said he had been exonerated and will turn his attention to the World Championships, which start in Budapest, Hungary, on Aug 19.
“It was a false positive, like I have said all along,” the 29-year-old said in a statement.
“The news from Sport Integrity Australia today was a dream come true. No one should ever experience what I have gone through this year. My focus is now on the World Athletics Championships coming up in Hungary. I am in good form and feeling well.”
Australia’s athletics federation said Bol’s case had exposed “several serious questions” about how EPO is analysed by Wada-accredited labs.
“Athletics Australia would like to express its full support of Peter and also its dismay that an innocent athlete has had his integrity put into question,” the federation said.
“Peter Bol and every other high-performance athlete deserve clear and transparent answers to ensure this doesn’t happen again. We encourage Sport Integrity Australia and Wada to provide those answers.”
SIA said it had adhered to Wada’s anti-doping code in its handling of the investigation, but added that Bol’s case had prompted the global body to review its EPO processes.
“Sport Integrity Australia will now await outcomes of the Wada review of the EPO review process,” it said.
Wada, meanwhile, said it was satisfied that SIA followed all applicable processes but would, nevertheless, conduct a review.
“While we have no reason to question the validity of the analytical method used for recombinant EPO, Wada will assess the current review process in light of the particularities of this case,” it said. REUTERS, AFP
