Anti-doping Switzerland has defended its procedures from allegations made by Martin Grab, a retired wrestler in the traditional discipline of Schwingen. Grab has just completed a two year sanction issued after returning an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for tamoxifen in April 2018. He told the Tages Anzeiger that a Laboratory worker said that analysis of his supplements, which he had brought along to the opening of his B sample, was pointless.

‘Anti-doping Switzerland made considerable efforts to accompany the athlete in the process, whereby he was shown the possibility of analysing his dietary supplements, which Grab waived at his own request’, read a statement. ‘In the very detailed 38 page verdict of the Disciplinary Chamber for Doping Cases at the Swiss Olympic Committee (DK), the allegations made by Grab were assessed in detail. Regarding the conduct of Anti-Doping Switzerland, the DK sates in its judgment that the doping control on 17 April 2018 was conducted in accordance with applicable provisions, and the same applies to the results management process and analysis of the doping sample. This was carried out in the Anti-Doping Laboratory in Lausanne, one of the world’s leading analysis laboratories. The opening of the B sample took place under the competence and responsibility of the Lausanne Laboratory in the presence of the athlete.’

Tamoxifen is commonly used to fight breast cancer, but can also be used as part of Post Cycle Therapy (PCT) to combat the undesirable effects of steroids. In August last year, the Austrian anti-doping rights commission (ÖADR) sanctioned a footballer who had returned AAFs for trenbolone, testosterone enanthate, clomiphene and tamoxifen, perhaps illustrating how the substance could be used as part of PCT.