NEWS

IOC disqualifies Beresnyeva from London 2012 Olympics

Ukrainian swimmer Olga Beresnyeva has been stripped of her seventh place finish at the London 2012 Olympic Games after a retrospective drug analysis tested positive for recombinant erythropoietin (rEPO).

An International Olympic Committee (IOC) investigation conducted further analyses of urine samples taken during London 2012.
“These additional analyses were performed with improved analytical methods in order to detect prohibited substances which could not be identified with the analyses performed at the time,” stated the IOC.
Beresnyeva “accepts full responsibility” for her “fatal mistake”. She admitted to taking the banned substance when her results started declining and she did not want to miss her “last chance” to compete in the Olympics. She bought the product online and insists that for the rest of her career she had “always [kept] straight”.
An IOC disciplinary commission ruled that Beresnyeva must be disqualified from the women’s 10km open water marathon event, excluded from the 2012 Games and have her diploma from the event withdrawn. After modifying the results of the event, FINA will then consider any further sanctions against Beresnyeva.
The full IOC report can be read here

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I created Outdoor Swimmer in 2011 (initially as H2Open Magazine) as an outlet for my passion for swimming outdoors. I've been a swimmer and outdoor swimmer for as long as I remember. Swimming has made a huge difference to my life and I want to share its joys and benefits with as many people as possible. I am also the author of Swim Wild & Free: A Practical Guide to Swimming Outdoors 365 a Year and I provide one-to-one support to swimmers through Swim Mentoring.