Tennis body to decide fate of Benny Wijaya<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Tennis Association has summoned
\nits Jakarta chapter to a meeting scheduled for this afternoon to
\nlearn what the chapter has to say about the doping scandal
\ninvolving Benny Wijaya.<\/p>\n
A senior official with the association, Eddy Katimansah, said
\nthat later in the evening, the association's 11 top brass,
\nincluding Eddy himself, are expected to attend a closed-door
\nmeeting to decide Benny's fate.<\/p>\n
Former national men's singles No. 1 Benny, who won two gold
\nmedals in both the men's team and individual tennis competition
\nat the 14th National Games last month, tested positive for the
\nbanned stimulant heptaminol acefyllinate.<\/p>\n
His urine samples that tested positive, however, were taken
\nafter he finished the team competition. The other samples, taken
\nafter he finished the individual competition, were clean.
\nCariamyl, the patent name of the medicine Benny took, left no
\ntrace eight hours after it was ingested.<\/p>\n
Previously, in a hearing with the chapter, Benny was quoted by
\nJakarta's sports governing body chairman Kusnan Ismukanto as
\nsaying Benny got the banned medicine from a pediatrician who has
\ntreated his rhinitis since his childhood. The pediatrician was
\napparently unaware of the list of banned substances in connection
\nwith the Games.<\/p>\n
Eddy said he believed Benny was innocent of any wrongdoing.
\nHowever, because a banned substance had been found in his urine,
\nBenny is, at any rate, subject to punishment.<\/p>\n
According to the International Tennis Federation's rules and
\nregulations, the punishment for such an offense is a three-month
\nsuspension starting from the date such a decision is made, Eddy
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Eddy, who is in charge of the association's foreign affairs,
\nsaid he would inform the International Tennis Federation about
\nBenny's case only after learning the results of the association's
\nmeeting this evening.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a member of the Games' anti-doping commission,
\nWismiyarti Tamin, said she regretted doping expert Dangsina
\nMoeloek's comment that Yogyakarta's female shooter, Inca Ferry,
\ncould file a lawsuit against the commission for failing to
\ninclude fenflouramine, which Inca tested positive for, on the
\nlist of banned substances it issued.<\/p>\n
Dangsina said even though the substance had been declared
\nillegal by the International Olympic Committee, Inca should
\nescape punishment because it was not listed as such by the Games
\norganizing committee.<\/p>\n
Dangsina referred to a similar case at the Southeast Asian
\nGames in Chiang Mai, Thailand last year, in which a Thai shooter
\ntested positive for beta blockers but was declared innocent
\nbecause the substance, which induces a slower heartbeat, was not
\non the list of banned substances issued by the Games' organizer.<\/p>\n
Wismiyarti, who is also chairwoman of the national doping
\nlaboratory, said Dangsina should not have suggested that Inca
\nbring the case to the court.<\/p>\n
If Inca does and she wins, the two silver medals she earned at
\nthe Games will remain in her hands. It would also be the first
\ndoping case in Indonesia which goes to court. (arf)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tennis-body-to-decide-fate-of-benny-wijaya-1447893297",
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