AUCKLAND, New Zealand. Dec. 6. NEW Zealand swimmer Trent Bray today won the fight to clear his
name of doping allegations after almost a year of legal battles.
The Court of Appeal upheld a District Court finding that too much time had elapsed before a urine sample submitted by Bray was tested.
The sample tested positive in January for the banned steroid nandrolone but Bray always subsequently denied taking any illegal substances.
"I'm pretty relieved," Bray said. "It's been a long year, not only for myself, but my family as well. It's just good for it to finally be over."
Bray successfully challenged Sports Drug Agency testing procedures in the District Court, but the agency won its appeal to the High Court. The Court of Appeal, however, overruled the High Court decision and upheld the earlier finding.
The sample was tested despite having been allowed to thaw while in quarantine in Australia. The sample was then refrozen but remained untested until 17 days after it arrived in Sydney.
The Court of Appeal agreed the delay was too long and ruled the testing procedures out of order.