FISA anti-doping decision for US rowers

On 20 August, the United States Anti-Doping Agency, USADA, announced that Greg Flood and Frank Petrucci had been sanctioned for using the banned substance glycerol. The positive tests came after the duo competed at their country’s national team trials in the lightweight men’s pair.

Glycerol is a specified substance on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited substances list.  Following a hearing, USADA decided on a sanction which included the cancellation of their results on 7 August 2013 at the USRowing World Championship trials and a public reprimand for the two rowers.

On 26 August 2013, after having received the USADA decision, FISA formed a hearing panel which reviewed the decision and decided to re-open the case in order to have a full appreciation of the evidence and circumstances. The FISA hearing took place during the World Rowing Championships on 27 August, 2013.

The Panel announced: “After consideration of all circumstances, the FISA Doping Hearing Panel confirms that the USADA decisions in the cases of Flood and Petrucci are correct and that thesanctions should stand as is. Therefore, the cancellation of results on 7 August and the public warning applied to the rowers by USADA are in accordance with the FISA Anti-Doping Bye-Laws. These rowers are fully eligible to continue racing at the 2013 World Rowing Championships.

All rowers are again cautioned not to use any substance at all without taking all possible steps, including carefully checking the 2013 WADA prohibited list and obtaining the advice of the team doctor or other qualified person, to ensure that the substance is not on the WADA prohibited substance list.
Find the WADA list here.