After receiving a four-year suspension in 2021, Brazilian swimmer Andre Calvelo has set a date for his return to competitive swimming.
Calvelo, 24, received a maximum four-year ban after testing positive for drostanolone propionate, an injectable steroid, on March 18, 2021, during a training camp in the lead-up to the Brazilian Olympic Trials.
Drostanolone propionate is commonly known under the brand name Masteron and is popular in bodybuilding and strength sports due to its muscle hardening, fat-burning, and anti-estrogenic properties. It was formerly used as treatment for breast cancer but is no longer on the market.
Drostanolone is a synthetic androgen and anabolic steroid that binds to the androgen receptor (AR), similar to how testosterone functions.
Calvelo’s suspension is due to expire on April 21, the same day the 2025 Maria Lenk Trophy begins in Rio de Janeiro. Since he doesn’t have the qualifying times to gain entry into the meet, Calvelo is expected to return at a Regional meet in Santos on April 26, according to Best Swimming‘s Alex Pussieldi.
A sprint freestyle and butterfly specialist, Calvelo has been training alone since his suspension, according to Pussieldi, but was able to resume training with coach Mauricio Ruiz and the Internacional Regatas de Santos team on March 1, as the suspension allows athletes to resume training with a club 60 days before their suspension expiring.
Calvelo represented Brazil at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, contributing a 48.44 leg on the men’s 4×100 free relay in the preliminaries. In 2018, he competed at the Youth Olympic Games, placing 4th in the 50 and 100 free and contributing to Brazil’s silver medal-winning 4×100 free relay.