24 October 2016

Norwegian skier provisionally suspended after lip cream results in AAF

Anti-Doping Norway (ADNO) provisionally suspended cross-country skier Therese Johaug for two months on 18 October, after her B sample confirmed the adverse analytical finding (AAF) for clostebol following a 16 September test. ‘The reason for the decision is that the prosecution is of the opinion that the athlete can not be said to have acted without fault’, read a 19 October statement from ADNO. In a statement, Johaug’s lawyer, Christian B. Hjort, said that he would work on getting Johaug acquitted.

Johaug argues that the AAF was due to use of Trofodermin, a dermatological cream which had been given to her by the Norwegian team doctor, Fredrik Bendiksen, to use on her lips in August. ADNO has opened proceedings against the doctor, who has been temporarily replaced by Dag Lunder following Bendiksen’s resignation. ‘In his testimony, he stated that he travelled to a pharmacy in Livigno in Italy to buy an ointment to that cold sores for Therese Johaug’, continued the 19 October ADNO statement. ‘He bought Trofodermin. He has confirmed that he gave Johaug the ointment without verifying that it contained the active substance on the Prohibited List.’

“I am devastated and distraught over having arrived at this very difficult and, for me, unreal situation”, read a statement from Johaug, a three-time Olympic medalist. “I find this unfair and totally undeserved, although of course, I am aware of my responsibilities as an athlete for the medicine I use”.

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