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Update: Andre Calvelo de Souza Provisionally Suspended at Brazil Trials after Positive Doping Test
The Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports (CBDA) Friday announced an adverse analytical finding in a swimmer who qualified for the Olympics, leading to a provisional suspension of their results at the ongoing Brazilian Olympic Trials. While CBDA didn’t release the name of the swimmer, reports out of Brazil and evidence from Trials Saturday indicate that the swimmer is 100 freestyle champion Andre Calvelo de Souza.
The positive came in an out-of-competition test, on March 18, 2021. The CBDA said in its statement that it was notified by the Brazilian Doping Control Authority on Friday. The name of the swimmer was not released, and the CBDA emphasized that the process is confidential and requires testing of a B sample. But Globo reported Saturday that the swimmer is de Souza, the the men’s 100 free winner. (As of Saturday morning, the results on the CBDA’s site were updated with de Souza’s name still at the top but with Pedro Spajari also having a first place next to his name and the other six swimmers all elevated a spot.)
The CBDA statement includes a note that the ninth-place swimmer in the suspended athlete’s event will be offered a time trial to try to qualify. Should de Souza’s suspension hold, Brazil would have to fill his spot on the 400 free relay. That would come down to Felipe Souza, who finished fifth in 48.87, and ninth-place Gabriel Santos, who went 49.22 in prelims. (The prelims results are also updated to show Santos in eighth place.)
One window into who the offender might be was offered Friday night. Under “qualifiers so far,” the federation included the newest qualifiers, including 200 IMers Vini Lanza and Caio Pumputis from swims Friday night. But only three members of the 400 free relay are listed: Breno Correia, Spajari and Marcelo Chierighini. De Souza’s name was the only one missing. (All four members of the qualifying 800 free relay are listed, as are 100 breaststroke champ Felipe Lima and 100 backstroke champ Guilherme Basseto for the medley relay.)
Andre de Souza was then still listed in the heat sheets for Saturday’s 50 free, but his name was stricken from them as of Saturday morning (he was due to be in late five of heat 2). He did not compete in the event. De Souza, 20, competed for Brazil at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, winning a pair of relay silver medals.
Brazilian Olympic Trials Coverage
- Felipe Lima, Guilherme Costa Achieve FINA A Standards on Night One of Brazilian Olympic Trials
- Fernando Scheffer, Guilherme Basseto Take National Titles & FINA A Standards at Brazilian Trials
- Leonardo De Deus Qualifies For Third Games, Guilherme Costa Achieves FINA A Standards on Night Three of Brazilian Trials
- Andre Souza, Pedro Spajari Lead Fast 100 Free Field at Brazilian Nationals
- Caio Pumputis & Vini Lanza Hit 200 IM FINA A Standard; Costa Makes Third Event at Brazilian Nationals
