With final testing results still coming in from year-end meets, yet another Russian doping case dating to 2013 has come through the wire. the FINA Executive decided on Wednesday to impose a provisional suspension upon Russian swimmer Vitalli Melnikov after testing positive for the banned substance EPO at the 2013 European Short Course Championships.
According to FINA, Melnikov tested positive twice – on both December 12th and December 13th. Those days coincide with his swims in the 200 mixed medley relay on December 12th and the 50 meter backstroke on the 13th.
If findings result in an upheld suspension of any kind, then Melnikov would be stripped of both his silver medal in the 100 backstroke, which was actually won on a day where he didn’t test positive, as well as his gold medal in the 200 medley relay. That 200 meter mixed medley relay, one of the first at a major competition, ran away with the title by a second-and-a-half over Gemrany, and included Melnikov, Yulia Efimova, Svetlana Chimrova, and Vlad Morozov. All four of those swimmers would be in danger of losing their gold medals as well.
Efimova, also on that relay, and has also been under a provisional suspension since January while her case is heard.
Per FINA rule DC 10.10.10.1, this makes Melnikov ineligible to participate in training camps, competition, exhibitions, or a practice organized by any club that is a member of a FINA Federation, though those practice rules are often very difficult to enforce.
EPO is a substance commonly used in what’s referred to as “blood doping,” and a reliable test wasn’t developed for it until the year 2000. The substance, which also occurs naturally in the body, controls red blood cell production, which controls the amount of oxygen that is able to travel to muscles. A positive test for EPO (erythropoietin) usually occurs when these levels are elevated beyond the point of natural production by the body. This is one of the substances that cyclist Lance Armstrong has been accused of using during his cycling career.
The Russian Anti-Doping Agency has not yet made any statement on Melnikov’s positive test. The 22-year old is a much better short course swimmer than a long course swimmer, but with a 49.87 in a 25 meter pool in the 100 backstroke, the potential was certainly there for him to have a breakout summer in long course.
Plus if we don’t call out the suspicions on the Russia team we get called racist when we call into question questionable swims by the Chinese (or anyone for that matter)
Yes, that would be highly hypocritical when top chinese swimmers are fair game and yet we are asked to be sensitive to the feelings of top russian swimmers.
Dangerous precedent being set on this page. Suspicion of the Russian Federation and the athletes who represent it (In all sports) is seemingly justified. However, what happened to Innocent until proven guilty? I find it disgusting that we can’t have a debate about the apparent doping trend in Russian sport without targeting Individuals, particularly ones who have never failed a drugs test. Furthermore, it smacks of superciliousness and a ‘We’re better than you’ attitude when people suggest that the most successful Russian athletes need to be in some way watched and their successes taken with a pinch of salt, like it is impossible for them to be as good as us. It’s reminds me of a video I often watch… Read more »
the comparison to the contempt towards Russians in the Seoul Olympics is not valid. The Cold War was a different time. There isn’t any real contempt for Russian swimmers because they are Russian. The only reason people are suspicious of Russians is because MULTIPLE high level Russian swimmers have been caught recently. I understand your point about people trying to convict swimmers like Morozov through guilt by association and it is a valid point. But I also think it is fair for people to become more suspicious when you have a surge in positive tests in a short time frame.
I wasn’t likening current ‘issues’ to those of the ’80s, I was trying to say that by suggesting the likes of Morozov, Lobintsev and Izotov need to be put under intensified scrutiny, we are implying to the Russian’s that we think we are better, that they can’t compete without cheating, that we feel we are superior. I have spent a lot of time in Russia as my father works most of the year out there and I can assure you, most Russian’s would see these comments and take them in the exact light that I’ve said they imply. That’s why I warned to be careful, we have cultural differences, many comments on here would be deemed quite deeply patronising being… Read more »
you must have missed the discussion on Ledecky after she went a 4:28 500 yard free. or the comments suspecting Rebecca Soni based on positive tests from her Trojan teammates. It’s not an anti-Russian thing, you are being too sensitive.
Exactly!
it’s not a Russian thing. Don’t be too sensitive.
Imagine being a chinese and be here during London olympics.
That 4×400 relay is still the wr ( USA) . It was a magnificent race . I was also lucky to see the w 400 wr race that is also the current WR in 1985 . They were like gladiators!
i would say that all of the girls in that race from the US & USSR & DDR were steroided & many of the others . But the queen of juicing was Florence who was the media darling .That is the hypocrisy.
I also saw Mary Dekker warm up in t shirt with ‘100% natural ‘ emblazoned on it before beating the Soviets . Mary was later foul of the testosterone ratio & dumped. She may have been clean… Read more »
Speaking about hooking up with a thrower, that reminds me of Michelle Smith De Bruijn.
How are the Russians going to blame this one on Salo?
I really don’t believe in the idea of “one bad apple” ruining the bunch, but when you consistently have one bad apple after another, you can’t help but feel suspicious of their phenomenal youths and their top end swimmers. Is Morozov too good to be true? How did Izotov suddenly get better? Sedov, Ustinova, etc.
If getting one swimmer suspended from a relay is bad, two is…
Denmark are still waiting on our two gold medals we would like back 🙂
I feel for Rikke Moeller Pedersen 🙂
😆
Efimova is in danger of losing that gold medal as well?
This is as funny as saying Lu Bin is in danger of losing her 1994 Rome medals.
FINA and WADA should keep their eyes open as well for morozov, lobintsev, izotov.