On June 22, 2024, SwimSwam reported that 2020 Olympian Michael Brinegar would not be competing in the 1500m Free prelims of the 2024 US Olympic Trials after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)’s allegations of blood doping during a three month period in 2022. This means that Brinegar is facing a four-year ban.
Hear Brinegar’s side of this 2-year process and the effect it has had on this athlete who still claims his innocence in the situation.
“I was raised to be a clean athlete. My mom competed at the ’76 Olympics against the East Germans.”
If you would like to read more about Michael’s journey along with direct quotes from the independent arbitrator, click here.
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- World Champion Runner Norah Jeruto’s Doping Suspension Lifted Over Claims of Ulcers and COVID-19
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I’ve looked for this answer in the articles so far and I have not found it. So I’m posting this question here in case anybody has the answer to it. Is the doping suspension for 4 years being backtracked to the date of the initial findings in 2022? Making him eligible to swim again in 2026? Or is he not eligible to again swim until 2028?
The four year period began officially on June 21, 2024, but he gets credit for his provisional suspension from August 18, 2023 through November 27, 2023.
So he would be allowed to compete again in March 2028. Depending on how that year’s selections are done, would make it difficult for him to qualify in open water, but possible for the pool.
Covid has variable but well defined effects on EPO levels, often raising them inappropriately. These are firmly established in the medical literature. I put the references in the comments section of the prior SS article about this suspension.
Where is the data that his EPO levels were elevated?
I have to think his lawyer didn’t want or know he was going to publish his hemoglobin and reticulocyte percentages over the 6 month period in question.
I really hope this guy wasnt cheating. I feel the same way about the chinese athletes. Its hard to know who to belive
The Medium post is eye opening. Lots of details laid out with excerpts from the arbitrator hearing — including a hematologist from the Mayo Clinic. Brinegar continues to provide transparency. I can understand why he would feel like a token sacrifice so the USADA can (selectively) puff their chest acting like they caught someone at the same time as pointing fingers at the Chinese. And if that’s the case, what are the consequences for essentially ruining someone’s career and reputation?
It’s interesting how different the reactions to McMahon/Brinegar/Dwyer are to Jack and the Chinese swimmers
I shared a club and college team with one of the athletes mentioned. I’m embarrassed my local news did 0 reporting on their 4 year ban.
No. Commenters were (rightly) quite critical of Dwyer and (rightly) have been so of McMahon. As for Brinegar, commenters have been both critical and also skeptical but cautiously so which makes some sense given that his case isn’t a matter of having tested positive for a banned substance that the human body obviously doesn’t produce and that we are still in the process of learning how covid affects us.
Sorry, that’s just not true. Look at the comments for each of the American swimmers and then look at the comments on articles about the other swimmers. The tone and level of criticism is completely different.
Copying this comment for future use…
His interview is difficult to asses because many swimmers contracted Covid but didn’t test positive for blood doping. His description of the events that unfolded between USADA and himself raises questions and provides no true context. He certainly struggled to explain his side of the story.
Yes. This exactly. Plus he didn’t test positive once. He tested positive 3 times. And his own statements seem to downplay his covid seriousness as he mentions attending his brother’s bachelor party. But again, 3 positive tests.
Swimmom – As usual, you are wrong. He NEVER tested positive. All of his urine tests came back negative. And the timeline does not “downplay his covid seriousness”. He tested positive for Covid in early June. He didn’t begin training until late July (and admitted he started his training a week later than he had originally planned due to still feeling tired after visiting his brother in early July). His brother’s bachelor party was in mid-to-late August. But again, ZERO positive tests. I am considering asking the SwimSwam moderators for your identity. Your continued attacks on my son with FALSE information is beginning to border on libel.
We are not giving you anybody’s identity. That would be against the law.
What a silly game you’re playing (mom/dad).
“ZERO positive” (urine) “tests” for blood doping. Yeah no $h*t he didn’t urine test for blood doping lollll. That’s not how EPO works.
This actually sucks a lot of credibility from what Michael says, because now it’s clear to me that y’all are playing silly word games instead of looking at the facts of the case.
I kind of hope y’all sue, because once it goes through that court system and discovery, things get REALLY interesting. I assume that after you lose that, that you’ll then sue the US Federal court system? Then Wuhan, China? Then just like “planet earth”?
Classic swimparent behavior, think they can just win every battle by lawsuiting… Read more »
turkey dodger- my statement of zero positive tests was in response to swimmom claiming 3 positive tests. My threat of libel against swimmom is in response to her making multiple false statements, across multiple platforms.
I understand people have different opinions about what happened, and what the ultimate result is. What I don’t understand is someone knowingly making false statements in order to hurt someone or their reputation.
If you knew me and my family, you would know that we are not litigious. We are not playing word games. Michael has never changed his story.
You will continue to believe that he doped. I will continue to KNOW that he did not.
Swimmom – Again, you are making false statements. He NEVER tested positive. Not once. Not three times. His urine samples all came back clean. And, he did not “downplay his covid seriousness…” Look at the timeline. He tested positive for COVID in early June (June 1 & 4). He didn’t begin training until late July. His brother’s bachelor party was in mid-to-late August. But again, ZERO positive tests.
I didn’t say he had positive urine tests. That is only one of the tests used to verify an athlete as clean. However, it was clearly stated by USADA that he failed multiple blood tests used for monitoring hemoglobin levels and checking for substances. I realize that your wife has a law degree. But I have a biology one. I understand more of this than the average person.
I sincerely hope that Michael finds a way to prove that his 3 failed blood tests where his hemoglobin was out of the acceptable range were somehow false. I hope that for the sake of USA Swimming to remain clean. And I hope that for Michael’s sake so that he can… Read more »
Okay, I listened. Maybe I was wrong, he sounds sincere.
“Jerry, just remember, it’s not a lie, if you believe it.”
He sounded highly stressed and agitated. I have no idea if he is guilty or not, I just hope true justice is served.