In July 2015 the International Federation of Rowing Associations (FISA) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Athlete Abdel Mohsen Massoud after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance furosemide.
After notification the Athlete filed a statement in his defence and he did not attend the hearing of the FISA Doping Hearing Panel. The National Federation confirmed that the Athlete cannot read or write so they translated the questions to the Athlete and answered them in English.
The Athlete stated that he is a lightweight rower and that during Ramadan he wasn’t losing the weight he wished to. He bought the medication, Lasix, on the advice of someone in a gym. He thought that a medication used to lose water from the body would not be considered as doping so he did not ask the pharmacist or the doctor as he normally does when he takes medication when he is ill.
The Panel concludes that the Athlete did not take the medication following notification of the out of competition anti-doping test and that he took the medication as noted in his statement.
Considering the Athlete’s degree of fault the FISA Doping Hearing Panel decides on 3 September 2015 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the decision.
