FINA, the world’s governing body for 6 aquatic sports disciplines, collected 1,667 doping samples in the year 2014, according to figures released on Monday.
Of those samples, 894 were “Unannounced Out-of-Competition,” while 773 were “In Competition”. These tests are in addition to those conducted by other organizations with anti-doping rules, including national Anti-Doping organizations, and the NCAA.
Among the heavy-hitters who were subject to FINA tests this year were Americans Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps, who each underwent 4 tests. They were both topped by Katie Ledecky, who was tested 5 times.
The only swimmer in the Americas tested by FINA more than 5 times out-of-competition last season was Brazilian Cesar Cielo, who was subject to 6 sample collections throughout the year.
Others tested 5 or more times:
- Ous Mellouli, Tunisia
- Kosuke Hagino, Japan
- Rie Kaneto, Japan
- Takeshi Matsuda, Japan (6)
- Park Tae-Hwan, South Korea (6)
- Rikke Pedersen, Denmark
- Yannick Agnel, France
- Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy (6)
- Mireia Belmonte, Spain (6)
- Jennifer Pareja Lisalde, Spain (water polo)
- Cate Campbell, Australia
- James Magnussen, Australia
Of the most interesting notes, the highest-profile doping case of late was that of South Korea’s Park Tae-Hwan, whose September 3rd positive sample was a FINA-conducted test. That was the 5th of his 6 tests. World Record holder Sun Yang, who also tested positive for a banned substance in 2014, was tested only three times by FINA, and that did not include the sample that ultimately earned him a three-month suspension.
Russian Yulia Efimova, despite being suspended for the entire year, was subject to two out-of-competition tests at the hands of FINA: once in June and once in November. Both tests came after her suspension was announced in May.
The United States led the way with the most testing missions (92), followed by Japan (72), China (66), and Spain (63).
FINA conducted by-far the majority of its testing on swimmers.
| Unannounced Out-of-Competition | In Competition | |
by country  |
by country |
|
| Africa | 26 |
20 |
| Americas | 165 |
191 |
| Asia | 146 |
126 |
| Europe | 445 |
396 |
| Oceania | 112 |
40 |
| Total | 894 | 773 |
Any explanation for why the numbers don’t add up? 894 unannounced out of competition + 773 in competition add up to more than the 1121 total.
Has it come to this? Our elite athletes will go to any measure to win a race? This is the tip of the iceberg I fear. We are just seeing the ones that get caught – what about the others? There has to be better testing for all top 5 placing athletes in a competition automatically get a test, every time! Sad that it has come to this but I fear the sport is tainted with those who cheat and steal the win from their competition and ruin it for all of us. It has come to the point where I see these phenomenal swims and the first thing that comes to my mind is I wonder if they are… Read more »
The headline picture made me laugh.
I’m totally confused now. Park Tae Hawn passed a test on 7/8 and he said that he received an injection from the chiropractor at some point in July after that. I’ve been googleing testosterone shots and there are several different kinds that stay in the system anywhere from one week to a year. Maybe he thought that since he was tested in July, he wouldn’t be tested again until the Asian games. It wouldn’t be hard for a doctor that knows what he is doing to use the correct testosterone and time it up so that the drugs leave the system just before the Asian games. He failed his test on 9/3, three weeks before the Asian games. Since FINA… Read more »
They had to have known that he failed the test on 9/3 before they tested him again 11/23. Why would they test him again and then wait until January to announce the 9/3 failed test? That just doesn’t make sense to me.
I agree Park should be banned from Rio.
Another thing which doesn’t make sense is why wait to announce Yang’s test result and why not penalize the Chinese swimming federation for late report?
For the in competition testing it appears that FINA only tests at FINA sponsored events. Browsing through, I only see the world cups and short course champs. I don’t see US nationals, Pan Pacs, European champs, or Asian games anywhere? Is there somewhere I can read up on the in competition policy?
wave rider – there are still doping controls at those events, they’re just not conducted specifically by the FINA missions. For example, US Nationals would have the controls conducted by USADA and those tests would be in the USADA lists. It’s sort of the difference between the state police and the county police, both trying to achieve the same goals, both with a lot of the same procedures and protocols, but with different jurisdictions and methods of funding.
I figured they had to be tested by someone. Who is in charge of the Asian games testing. I would be very interested to see a published list from that event. I’m looking at Zetoa Ning who was caught in the past for Clenbuterol. Clenbuterol is undetectable in the blood after about 3 days like EPO is. I see that he was tested on 10/24 and 11/19. That’s an awfully convenient time frame with plenty of time for ped’s to leave the system.
Zetao Ning, Cesar Cielo and the Brazilians, Alexandra Herasimenia, etc should also be blood-tested OOC more frequently.
By the way, 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games caught the chinese swimmers when the ridiculous 1994 Rome Worlds circus failed to do so.
From now on, swimmers like Mellouli, Hardy, Efimova, Glaedsner, Park, Yang, etc should be OOC blood-tested at least 10 times a year. Cheaters that they are.
Not to be on the side of cheaters but for example Efimova was caught from a substance that doesn’t even increase testosterone for someone her age. It’s in every other supposedly legal “training booster”. I also believe Mellouli’s Adderall story.
But I agree they should be tested a lot more. Though they probably are since these are just FINA tests. Wada does a lot of tests too.
I don’t buy Mellouli’s excuse. Adderall can be used as masking agent.
Also, what kind of super elite swimmer took banned substances so soon before a world championships?
And why excused Efimova?
If you excuse Mellouli and Efimiova, I also expect you to excuse all swimmers tested positive, otherwise you just operate on double standard.
Also, if you believe Mellouli’s excuse, then you must also believe that he truly didn’t know that amphetamine is a banned substance.
In that case, either:
a. You are extremely naive, and/or
b. USC has the worst education in the world and Trojans SC has the worst swimmer education/information.
I’m just saying he probably didn’t take adderall to enhance performance. What I didn’t know though was that it’s a masking agent, which kind of makes me doubt him again. Nonetheless it was stupid of him to take it in the first place even for just academics.
Plus I never said anything about excusing them, I just think she didn’t dope intentionally. Why do americans always get so hostile ?
I am not American…
And I don’t buy Mellouli’s excuse to keep up with academic study.. He knew it was getting close to Melbourne worlds.. He knew adderall contained banned substances
By the way, did you not know that banned substances consist of not only those that elevate your testosterone. Because it seems like it from what you are implying:
“but for example Efimova was caught from a substance that doesn’t even increase testosterone..”
Did you know how De Bruijn got?
yeah, she spiked her sample with alcohol.
Did you know he kind of substance that Cielo et al got busted for?
Furosemide. Which can be used as masking agent. Look it up.
The substance she was banned for is SUPPOSED to increase test but actually does not.
It’s being marketed as a “natural” testosterone booster. I think she bought a supplement not knowing it was in it. Still not an excuse but I’m just saying I don’t think she’s an immoral doper.
http://examine.com/supplements/7-Keto+DHEA/
Sports are more fun when people don’t cheat
Just because Ledecky’s an American doesn’t earn her a free pass.
Did anyone suggest that Ledecky should get a free pass for being an American or for any other reason?