The Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) yesterday suspended Serbian water-polo player Nikola Radjen following a positive test for cocaine at a Spain vs. Serbia FINA World Water Polo League game on 17 February in Madrid. ‘Following the results management process and in accordance with the FINA DC Rule 7.9.1, the FINA Executive decided to impose a Provisional Suspension on the athlete until a hearing before the FINA Doping Panel can be made’, read a FINA statement. ‘The Provisional Suspension started on 7 May 2015’.

The Serbian water polo association (BCC) said that after receiving notice of the positive through a letter from FINA on 6 May, Radjen had written to FINA arguing that he didn’t intend to enhance performance. ‘It was made clear in a letter to FINA that Radjen said he did not take the substance in order to achieve better results in sport’, read a BCC statement. He expressed his desire to use his case as a message to other athletes and is ready to take part in various activities at a global and national level in order to highlight the negative effects of the use of this substance and similar illegal drugs’.

An open letter from Radjen, published on the BCC’s internet site, apologised to family, friends and water polo fans. ‘It is true that the findings of the doping test were positive, and we are in contact with FINA regarding the suspension’, read the letter. ‘During my long career and during sporting success I was tested over 20 times and all doping tests, except for the last, were negative. I accept responsibilities for my actions and am aware of the consequences that will follow, but I sincerely hope that I will be able to come back to water polo. I made a mistake that will be corrected, and the first step on this path is to admit the mistake. I particularly want to emphasise that I am sorry for the distress I have caused to my family, and that I failed my team-mates, coaches and disappointed fans of water polo. However, I hope that my future engagement will regain their trust.’

Radjen plays for Greek water polo club Olympiacos, as well as being a member of the Serbian national team. The national team won the 2009 World Championships as well as the 2012 European Championships. The 2015 World Anti-Doping Code, which came into force on 1 January this year, raised the standard ban to four years. However, Article 10.2.3 of the Code reads: ‘An anti-doping rule violation resulting from an Adverse Analytical Finding for a substance which is only prohibited In-Competition shall not be considered intentional if the substance is not a Specified Substance and the Athlete can establish that the Prohibited Substance was Used Out-of-Competition in a context unrelated to sport performance’. In cases such as these, the starting point for a ban is two years.