VIENNA, Austria, October 28. THE National Anti-Doping Agency of Austria earlier this week cleared swimmer Dinko Jukic of any wrongdoing surrounding an incident in May, where Jukic refused to take an out-of-competition drug test.
On May 24, drug officials visited the pool where Jukic was training in Austria for what was seemingly a standard out-of-competition drug test. Jukic refused to take the test, citing that conditions at the pool were not hygenic for testing. International doping policy dictates that refusing to take a drug test is similar to a positive drug test.
The Austrian Anti-Doping Agency began a series of hearings to determine if Jukic was at fault. Jukic was allowed to compete during the investigation, placing seventh in the 200 butterfly at the FINA world championships and earning prize money in the FINA World Cup meets in Dubai and Stockholm earlier this month.
The National Anti-Doping Agency of Austria acquitted Jukic on the grounds of "absence of fault," but warned him in their decision of the dangers of violating international drug testing rules.
"I was and I am not aware of any fault," Jukic told the Austria Press Agency. "It has been confirmed today that I am not guilty."