Samples re-analyse finds three further cases of doping

Three individual athletes were each recently found guilty of anti-doping rule violations and subsequently sanctioned by their respective National Federations following the re-analysis of their blood and urine samples collected at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, Korea. The sample of Inna Eftimova (Bulgaria) tested positive for synthetic Growth Hormone, while the samples of Nataliya Tobias (Ukraine) and Antonina Yefremova, (Ukraine) both contained traces of synthetic testosterone. The IAAF initially sought the application of a 4-year sanction in all three cases as it considered that under IAAF Rules there were aggravating circumstances justifying the application of an increased sanction up to 4 years. Ms Eftimova, Ms Tobias and Ms Yefremova ultimately received a 2-year sanction after all three athletes acknowledged that they had committed an anti-doping rule violation and waived their right to the B sample analysis and to a hearing. In accordance with IAAF Rule 40.6 (b), this meant that the 4-year sanction originally sought was reduced to 2 years, which is the standard sanction otherwise applicable for a first-time doping offence under IAAF Rules. Biological Passport provided clues to positive tests At the conclusion of the championships in Daegu, all blood samples collected by the IAAF, including those of Ms Eftimova, Ms Tobias and Ms Yefremova, were transferred to the WADA-accredited laboratory in Lausanne for the measurement of numerous steroid and endocrine markers of doping, and thus forming part of each athletes biological passport. The concentrations of testosterone measured in Ms Tobias and Ms Yefremova’s blood samples triggered a re-analysis by IRMS (Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry) of the urine samples they provided on 23 August 2011 at the Ukrainian team training camp in Busan, Korea before the World Championships and at the event itself. The analyses of the samples collected on 23 August indicated an administration of synthetic testosterone whilst the urine samples collected a week later at the event were negative. The Biological Passport measurements were followed by special analyses also carried out in Lausanne, including analyses for the detection of synthetic Growth Hormone (GH) for a number of samples, amongst which Ms Eftimova’s sample found to be positive. This is the second finding of Growth Hormone in Athletics and one of only a very few to date in sport as a whole. \"These three cases illustrate the efficiency of the measurements performed in the course of the Athlete Biological Passport which prompted additional specialized analysis, allowing us to uncover sophisticated doping practices designed to avoid the detection of doping at the World Championships.\" \"While current detection windows for substances such as testosterone and growth hormone are quite narrow due to the sophisticated doping protocols in use, The IAAF strongly believes that in the near future it will be able to rely on abnormal variations of the markers for testosterone or GH in an athlete’s biological profile as supporting evidence of an anti-doping rule violation\", said Dr. Gabriel Dollé, Director of the IAAF Medical and Anti-Doping Department. Ms Eftimova is ineligible to compete until 15 May 2014. Ms Tobias and Mrs Yefremova remain ineligible until 10 June 2014.