LAUSANNE, Switzerland, January 24. A week after news first broke that Russian world-record holder Yuilya Efimova tested positive for the drug DHEA, FINA has provisionally suspended the breaststroker until she has a hearing before the FINA Doping Panel.
FINA released the following official statement regarding the positive test:
On October 31, 2013 a swimmer Yuliya Efimova (RUS) was tested positive to the substance 7-keto-DHEA (Class S.1.1.b Endogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroids) with the occasion of the FINA out-of-competition doping control test in Los Angeles (USA).
Following the results management process and in accordance with the FINA DC Rule 7.1.11, the FINA Executive decided to impose a Provisional Suspension on the athlete until a hearing before the FINA Doping Panel can be made. The Provisional Suspension started on January 21, 2014.
The test occurred well after her wins in the 50 and 200-meter breaststroke events at the FINA World Long Course Championships, but prior to winning four titles at the European Short Course Championships.
Alongside Efimova’s suspension, FINA also slapped a provisional suspension on former world-record holder Sergey Makov, also of Russia. Makov tested positive for Ostarine during the Moscow stop of the FINA World Cup.
Here is FINA’s official release on that suspension.
On October 12, 2013 a swimmer Sergey Makov (RUS) was tested positive to the substance Ostarine (Class S.1.2 Other Anabolic Agents, selective androgen receptor modulators) with the occasion of the FINA Swimming World Cup held in Moscow (RUS).
Following the results management process and in accordance with the FINA DC Rule 7.1.11, the FINA Executive decided to impose a Provisional Suspension on the athlete until a hearing before the FINA Doping Panel can be made. The Provisional Suspension started on January 20, 2014.
Russia continues to wrack up positive tests with a handful of swimmers testing positive just in the last year.