Neil has just received a two-year ban from the date of his suspension in June. I don't want to go into too much detail, but here are the basics:-
Neil is a diabetic with very low testosterone level. Since late 2004 he has been on testerone injections to keep his level in the normal range. This is essential to protect his health. He applied for a TUE very soon after he went on the injections. WMA replied saying they had passed it on to IAAF. That was the last he ever heard of it.
He was targetted for testing at San Sebstian and they found testosterone. He was officially informed about the test in February 2006. WMA handled it so badly, including losing all the paperwork, that no action was taken.
He was given permission by Dieter Massin to compete in Linz and was asked to submit a further TUE a few days before the competition, which he did. He was again targetted at Linz, and, surprise, surprise, they found testosterone again. The date of the test was March 15th.
He received a letter saying his sample taken on March 18th had contained stanozolon. He was asked to keep the matter confidential. The WMA then put the announcement on their web site that he had been taking steroids. Neil then received copies of two test results from WMA, his, which was positive for testosterone, and that of the Russian shot putter, on March 18th, which showed stanozolon.
I hope you are getting some idea of the competence of WMA.
Neil had a hearing in Germany three weeks ago, at which he provided considerable medical evidence to support his case.
Karri Wichman denied receiving the TUE until after he got home from Linz, although he had confirmed with one of the British Masters officials in Linz that he had received it. At the hearing Wichman handed round a list of about ten names, and he said these were all athletes whose TUEs he had passed on to IAAF with no reply. There was nothing he could do about it.
Neil received the result of the hearing on Monday. It contained the following:
‘It is not within the realm of the Panel to decide upon the soundness of Mr. Griffin´s TUE applications for testosterone submitted in January 2005 and March 2006 and, hence, the Panel did not weigh the medical evidence produced in support of the applications.'
He was therefore guilty of taking testosterone without a valid TUE.
_________________ Chris Melluish
|