by Alfonz Juck
Alex Schwazer, photo by PhotoRun.net
Schwazer new situation
ROME (ITA): Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Beijing Olympic champion in race walk Alex Schwazer is facing another doping case. His sample collected on January 1, 2016 was retested on May 12 and showed positive traces of steroids (testosterone). Schwazer, who was banned for three years and nine months after testing positive for EPO before the 2012 Olympics, returned to competition and won the 50km race at the World team race walking championships in Rome in May and qualified to Rio Olympics. Schwazer’s lawyer, Gerhard Brandstaetter, said the newspaper report was “false and unbelievable,” and threatened legal action, but FIDAL confirmed to AP that the Gazzetta report was accurate. “At the moment I’m shocked,” FIDAL president Alfio Giomi is quoted by AP. “We’re attempting to understand it.” Schwazer said that for him it is a conspiracy and denies the accusations. “Someone doesn’t want me to go to the Olympics, the time is short, but I’ll go all the way to clear everything up. Back then I did, but this time no. I’ve been doing my utmost with [coach] Sandro [Donati] to show that my return is clean,” said Schwazer. The B sample will be analyzed by July 5. Afterwards this might be another case for CAS as Schwazer denies any wrongdoing.
Larry Eder opines: Mr. Schwazer should retire with the little dignity he has left and find a new activity. This guy embarrassed his country already. Time for him to go away, but, I fear, he will not. Nice job, IAAF.
