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WADA Requests FINA's Munoz File

Aug 9, 2010  - Craig Lord

World record holder Rafael Munoz, of Spain, who qualified fastest for the semi-finals of the 50m butterfly at the European Championships here in Budapest this morning, may yet have to hand back any medal he wins in the final tomorrow, depending on the outcome of an anti-doping review by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

After winning two bronze medals at world championships last July, Munoz missed three out-of-competition anti-doping tests. The FINA Doping panel cleared the Spaniard after hearing from a doctor than one of the missed tests occurred at a time when Munoz was "psychologically vulnerable". 

The swimmer was given warning that should he miss one more test by August next year, he would be suspended under WADA rules. WADA has now asked FINA for the file on the case, a spokesman confirming: "As with any decision taken by a World Anti-Doping Code signatory in relation to anti-doping matters, we will review the reasons for the decision and will subsequently determine whether or not to use our independent right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport."

The question that WADA wishes an answer to, now that it is clear that Munoz did indeed miss three tests, is what motivated FINA to throw out one of the missed tests and whether that excuse is valid or not under the WADA Code. The history of suspensions for missed tests does not bode well for Munoz, with some world-class athletes in a number of sports having been suspended or penalised even though there were mitigating circumstances for them having missed at least one test in three misses.