Australian record-holder and 2008 Olympic gold medalist Kylie Palmer has withdrawn from the Australian World Championships team after being notified of a nearly-two-year-old failed doping test, according to a press release from Swimming Australia today.
Palmer, a mid-distance and distance freestyler, found out this April that one of her anti-doping samples from the 2013 World Championships had tested positive for a banned substance, according to the release. Swimming Australia says Palmer’s B sample from the same meet was also tested recently, and also showed traces of a banned substance. She’ll voluntarily accept a provisional suspension from FINA while the investigation process continues.
Palmer was on the silver medal-winning 800 free relay at that 2013 World Champs meet, and so a FINA punishment could potentially strip that entire relay of its medals.
FINA is still investigating the positive test and will go through its anti-doping procedures to determine Palmer’s final punishment. The Swimming Australia release makes clear that Palmer denies taking any banned substances and doesn’t know how the substance entered her system. She is unavailable for further comment while FINA proceedings are still going.
Palmer is still the Australian record-holder in the 400 free as well as a member of the national record-holding 800 free relay. On that team, in 2008, Palmer won Olympic gold while putting up the fastest split of the four Australian legs.
There’s no official word yet on what substance Palmer tested positive for, and we likely won’t know until FINA releases its official decision on her punishment. For now, though, Palmer has dropped off the Worlds team under a provisional suspension, and says she’ll keep working towards the 2016 Olympic Games while she waits for the FINA process to play out.
The full Swimming Australia press release is below:
Kylie Palmer advises that she has voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension under the FINA Doping Control Rules pending determination of proceedings against her for a breach of those Rules.
Kylie was notified on 13 April 2015 that a sample she provided at the Swimming World Championships in Barcelona nearly two years previously (i.e. on 31 July 2013) had tested positive to a minute trace of a prohibited substance. Since that time, Kylie has been endeavouring to investigate how this arose, a task that is almost impossible given the extraordinary passage of time. Unfortunately, recent testing on the B Sample of the sample provided by Kylie on 31 July 2013 has also tested positive to a minute trace of the prohibited substance.
Kylie presently has no idea how the prohibited substance came into her system and is continuing to investigate the matter to the extent that she is able given the passage of time. Kylie categorically denies knowingly taking any prohibited substance in Barcelona in July 2013 or at any time in her career. Kylie has always been a strong supporter of the anti-doping measures undertaken by FINA and has prided herself on being a successful clean swimmer.
With much regret, Kylie has chosen to withdraw from the Australian team for the upcoming Swimming World Championships in Russia in late July whilst she focuses on defending the FINA proceedings against her. She wishes all of her Australian teammates well and will support them from afar. Kylie will pursue her dream to represent Australia at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio once the FINA proceedings are dealt with.
Kylie thanks her family and friends for their support. Due to the ongoing nature of the FINA proceedings, she is unable to comment further at this time and asks that the media respect her privacy.
I’m not an Aussie, but aside from the issue of drugs, could someone explain to me why any elite swimmers from other countries should ever be allowed to train at Australian facilities?
Well, if they wanted to make the point that the 2 years delay was not their doing, point made. However, why Wada decided to step in and take the matter in its own hands is a totally different issue and one that I suspect is not going to improve Fina’s reputation.
http://www.fina.org/H2O/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5235:pr-52-fina-statement-on-swimmer-kylie-palmer-aus&catid=416:2015&Itemid=246
FINA’s press release on the issue. Muddies the waters just a little as it reads more than a little bit like “hey, don’t fire bullets at us; this is WADA’s doing”.
I dont think the Fina tribunal has decided on her case yet, so it is premature to point fingers at this stage. However it wont be easy for her to defend herself 2 years from the facts.
2013 world championships.
Why do we learn that only now? Almost 2 years later.
Swimming Australia are hypocrites – ban a Chinese swimmer from using Australian facilities/podium centres and podium coaches yet knowingly allow an Australian ATHLETE to continue in a podium centre with a podium coach since April!
My understanding is an athlete is on a provisional suspension from notification.
Lastly, are Swimming Australia any better than China Swimming with keeping this under the carpet. Are all the critics going to be as tough on Australia as they were on China? No sport, no country wants a doping violation in the media but let’s at least be consistent with the criticism.
Kylie does not train at a podium centre. Check your facts before you have a go at an amazing athlete who is going through hell right now.
Um… Haha…
Perhaps get the story right before commenting.
Swimming Australia did not keep this hidden or ‘under the carpet’.
FINA did. It was out there in the media soon afterwards and Kylie Palmer withdrew herself from the World Champs and that was supported by Swimming Australia, who had a statement on their website about it soon afterwards.
I’m not saying she’s innocent, but don’t for a second drag all of Swimming Australia into this.
Massive difference between what went on with Palmer and what’s happened elsewhere.
I know Kylie personally and saying that she took anything to enhance her performance is outrageous. A simple thing such as a protein shake can have a trace of banned substance. They said a minute trace of banned substance was in her system. A minute trace of masking agent was what it was. None of you people commenting are athletes and wouldn’t know anything about this. A masking agent doesn’t even help you perform so take a step off and stop bashing Kylie. She is not like the Chinese or Koreans or Russians who actually take PEDs to swim better.
Well done for standing up for your friend. She must feel pretty lonely right now. This is a Humanitarian comment, not a comment about supporting dopers.
Masking agents don’t help you perform?!? They MASK the things that do help you perform!
The thing is, you take stimulants, in micro-doses to limit the risk of getting caught. You win a gold medal, you are a hero. You get caught two years later and get a two to three months suspension because your federation reluctantly reports you. You then blame your doctor, or the nutritionist or simply for the life of you can’t figure out what happened; maybe tainted supplements?
You is kidding whom, and with such lack of balance between risks and rewards, why wonder that athletes take a chance? Maybe Palmer is guilty and maybe she is not, but there is definitely a pattern here.