In April 2009 the International Federation of Rowing Associations (FISA) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Athlete Sergey Shushin after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance hydrochlorothiazide.
After notification by the Russian Rowing federation a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and he was heard for the FISA Doping Hearing Panel.
The Athlete stated that in March 2009 during training he suffered from a severe back pain. The Athlete was hospitalised and treated with prescribed medications and physiotherapy.
Hereafter the Athlete provided a sample for drug testing in April 2009 and mentioned all the prescribed medication he used on the Doping Control Form. At the doping control the Athlete was surprised to hear that one of the prescribed medication contained a prohibited substance. The Athlete applied immediately for a TUE, but RUSADA rejected his TUE due to his application should have been made 7 days after the beginning of the medical treatment.
The hospital doctor submitted that the used diuretics are one of the normal prescriptions she would prescribe for patients with a back pain condition. The doctor claimed she had no special knowledge related to the treatment of high level Athletes.
The Panel considers the circumstances that the Athlete’s doctors prescribed medications without knowledge of the WADA prohibited list and made no TUE application when the Athlete was treated in the hospital.
The Panel finds that there was no convincing evidence and no justification for the use of the prescribed diuretics for the Athlete’s medical condition.
The Panel rules that the Athlete has not proved to their comfortable satisfaction, that he was not taking the specified substance to enhance performance or to mask a substance which would enhance performance.
Therefore the FISA Doping Hearing Panel decides to impose a 2 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting at the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 22 April 2009.
