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Swimming
Drugs In SwimmingDrugs In SwimmingHouse Of Aust.Swim. LinksAustralian Swimming LinksInvestigationSwimming InvestigationKieren PerkinsKieren PerkinsMicheal KilmMicheal KilmRebecca BrownBrown Quits Swimming|
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| SYDNEY, Australia (AP) _ Australian swimmer Richard Upton, who won a relay silver medal at the world championships, has been let off with a fine and a reprimand over a positive drug test. The 23-year-old, who returned a positive test to the banned drug probenecid, was cleared to contest Australia's trials next month for the September Commonwealth Games. The decision by Australian Swimming has yet to be approved by FINA, the world governing body of swimming. ``I'm extremely relieved,'' Upton said today. ``The last four weeks has really been hell for me. ``I prayed that Australian Swimming wouldn't make a scapegoat of me to back up their anti-drugs stance.'' Upton faced a three-month suspension for taking probenecid on Feb. 14. His doctor prescribed the drug, along with a dose of penicillin, for tonsillitis, and Upton failed an out-of-competition test on Feb. 17. Probenecid is considered a masking agent on the International Olympic Committee's banned substance list because it prevents other drugs being excreted in urine. It would be used to help him retain the penicillin. An Australian Swimming disciplinary committee met on Saturday for six hours to discuss Upton's case. The committee found that Upton took the drug inadvertently and for therapeutic purposes. It fined him 2,000 Australian dollars ($1,900 Cdn) and gave him a severe reprimand. Australian Swimming president Terry Gathercole said he was satisfied the matter had been dealt with appropriately. Gathercole said it was possible that FINA might reject the Australian Swimming finding and impose a different penalty, but believed that was unlikely. ``We have had advice from FINA on this issue,'' Gathercole said. ``They advised us to handle it virtually the way that we have.'' FINA secretary Gunnar Werner said it was too soon to speculate on an outcome. |
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