The trouble with Ostarine: Jimmy Wallhead’s
16th March 2018
Features
Sports Integrity Briefs – 1 February 2021
• Sergey Shubenkov (Серге́й Шубенков) has denied returning an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for furosemide, after reports to that effect appeared in the Russian media. ‘All the information about the fact that I used furosemide and that it was found in a sample is blatant slander, invented by a unnamed “source”’, wrote Shubenkov on Instagram (below). ‘However, I did receive an email from the AIU [Athletics Integrity Unit]. It’s not about furosemide at all. For legal reasons, I cannot disclose the details of this confidential letter yet. But pay attention to the fact tat I am not subject to any restrictions and train as usual.’ The AIU and the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) have declined to comment on the situation.
• The international swimming federation (FINA) has announced sanctions against a water polo player and a diver, both of whom have returned to competition having served their bans. Volodimyr Voitenko returned an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for hydrochlorothiazide on 12 November 2019, and served an eight month ban concluding on 16 October 2020, FINA announced. The full FINA Doping Panel Decision reveals that the Ukrainian water polo player took a Tritace 10 Plus pill to treat hypertension. Wilson N. Singh returned an AAF for terbutaline on 29 September 2019, and completed a one year ban on 4 November 2020, FINA announced. The Indian diver, who was a minor at the time of the offence, provided a prescription for Glencoff Expectorant, which contains terbutaline, reveals the full Decision.
• A Report commissioned by the Swiss gymnastics federation (STV) has revealed shocking levels of gymnast abuse over the past eight years, reports Le Matin. During that period, it is understood that over 90% of gymnasts were regularly yelled at; over 60% were regularly insulted; more than half received discriminatory comments about their appearance; over 30 were publicly ridiculed; and more than 25% regularly suffered physical violence. Since allegations were made last summer, Coaches Iliana Dineva and Aneliya Stancheva have been sacked; and Felix Stingelin and Ruedi Hediger resigned as Head of Competitive Sports and General Manager respectively. “We cannot undo the past, but we can shape the future”, said STV Director Béatrice Wertli in a statement, which emphasised the changes made by the STV. The Report has yet to be made public.
• Reynaldo Vásquez, former President of the El Salvador football association (FESFUT), pleaded not guilty to corruption charges on Friday after being extradited to the US, reports the Associated Press. In October 2019, Vásquez was sanctioned with a life ban by FIFA after being indicted by US authorities on charges of corruption.
• Evangelos Marinakis and 27 others have been acquitted of match-fixing charges by a Greek court, reports In.gr, following an investigation that dates back to 2014. Marinakis owns the Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest football clubs.
• The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has announced that an independent review concluded that World Table Tennis (WTT) was established according to good governance principles. The ITTF established WTT to manage its commercial operations and events business, but concerns were raised by the German table tennis association (DTB) and gained support from other member associations. The ITTF has not published the independent review, which was conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
