Friday, July 01, 2011

Cesar Cielo tested positive? - Say it isn't so!

According to the Brazilian media, Cesar Cielo, Olympic champion and world champion in the 50 and 100m freestyle, tested positive for furosemide; ( a diuretic and a masking agent), this past May. The Brazilian Swimming Federation gave him a only a warning but may conduct an investigation.

From Sport 24:

Tested positive in May" "...World champion of 50 and 100m freestyle in 2009 in Rome and a favorite in both distances at the end of the month at the World Shanghai has indeed been a positive drug test with furosemide, a diuretic banned because it allows in particular to mask making other products. Control took place at the Maria Lenk Trophy in May in Brazil. Three other swimmers (Nicholas Santos, Henrique Barbosa, Vinicius Waked) also tested positive for the same product. A monitoring committee, set up by the Brazilian Confederation of water sports, Cesar Cielo and auditioned three swimmers complained of having to explain what their positive control.

[Link]

7 comments:

Lucas said...

Apparently there was a contaminated caffeine pill batch, which all those athletes used. The lab alreay admited to it, and it seems the urine pH was unaltered, which is an indication that the quantity of furosemide wouldn't be enough to mask anything else.

It sure will make people look at him differently, though, and that is quite unfortunate. Another incident like this, and he's sure to be considered guilty. It's mind blowing to me how labs can advertise and sell supplements without any real oversight.

Lucas said...

Apparently there was a contaminated caffeine pill batch, which all those athletes used. The lab alreay admited to it, and it seems the urine pH was unaltered, which is an indication that the quantity of furosemide wouldn't be enough to mask anything else.

It sure will make people look at him differently, though, and that is quite unfortunate. Another incident like this, and he's sure to be considered guilty. It's mind blowing to me how labs can advertise and sell supplements without any real oversight.

Tony Austin said...

Do you have a fast reference so I can add it to the post? If so that would be greatly appreciated.

Lucas said...

Sorry, but I'm only looking at sites in Portuguese (maybe a google translator can help):

Cielo's official statement:
http://blogdocruz.blog.uol.com.br/arch2011-07-01_2011-07-31.html

Article about the lab admiting contamination:
http://esporte.uol.com.br/natacao/ultimas-noticias/2011/07/01/farmacia-assume-culpa-por-contaminacao-que-causou-doping-de-cesar-cielo.htm

Article about Fina allowing Cielo and the other 3 athletes who were caught on the same exam to swim at the Paris Open, after being notified of the exam (plenty of links from this one):
http://esporte.uol.com.br/natacao/ultimas-noticias/2011/07/02/fina-permitiu-que-cielo-nadasse-em-paris-mesmo-com-doping-confirmado.htm

Hope it helps.

Cliff Murray said...

Does it matter if it is from contaminated batch? It seems as though the US had a male swimmer who tested positive because of contaminated vitamins...he was banned for 2 years (I think it was two years).

Cliff Murray said...

Does it matter if it is from contaminated batch? It seems as though the US had a male swimmer who tested positive because of contaminated vitamins...he was banned for 2 years (I think it was two years).

Tony Austin said...

Penalties in Olympic sports are extraordinarily harsh when compared to American professional sports. They also appears to be selective enforcement of the rules.