LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 21. FINA has recently announced several doping offense punishments levied on aquatic sports athletes from around the world.
Harrison Jones, a diver from the United States, has been hit with his second suspension in as many years. In 2010, Jones tested positive for Cannabis and was hit with a three-month suspension. He did not learn his lesson, and tested positive for Cannabis on Feb. 5, 2011 at the USA Diving Winter National Championships. USA Diving has banned Jones for a year, beginning April 6, 2011.
James Stanton, an Australian water polo player, tested positive for Clenbuterol during an out of competition test on Sept. 15, 2010. Australian Water Polo banned Stanton for two years beginning on Oct. 22, 2010. Stanton's positive test comes at the same time that the World Anti-Doping Agency is considering changing its rules regarding testing for Clenbuterol. While WADA has denies any plans of introducing a threshold level when it comes to Clenbuterol, it has stated that Clenbuterol positives will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis as food contamination can lead to Clenbuterol positives.
Zsolt Lutter, a Hungarian water polo player, was banned by Hungarian Water Polo for two years for refusing an out-of-competition test on March 4, 2011. The ban began on March 24, 2011. Additionally, Hungarian Water Polo banned Adam Maklari two years beginning April 27, 2011 for testing positive for Methandienone following an in-competition test on March 4, 2011.
Romanian water polo player Alex Gabriel Popoviciu tested positive for Methylhexaneamine on Feb. 6, 2011 during the National Water Polo Championships. The Romanian Anti-Doping Agency banned Popoviciu three months, which began on March 4, 2011.