World Championships medalist Junya Koga of Japan has logged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in response to being handed a 4-year ban earlier this week.
The 31-year-old backstroke ace reportedly failed two drug tests in the month of March, which resulted in his being removed from the Japanese National Team. Koga tested positive for traces of ‘banned muscle-building substances’, which the Olympian denied having taken knowingly. The substances were later identified as selective androgen receptor modulators “LGD-4033” and “SARM S-22”.
As reported earlier this week, FINA issues a 4-year ban to the backstroker, ruling him out of next year’s World Championships, as well as the 2020 Olympic Games in his home nation.
The FINA panel reportedly rejected Koga’s plea for a reduced sanction, so CAS is his next step, per his lawyer. (The Mainichi)
Koga earned the 50m back silver medal last year in Budapest at the 2017 World Championships. He also earned 50m backstroke gold at the 2016 Short Course World Championships in Windsor, as well as represented Japan at the 2016 Olympics as part of the men’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay.