Four SEA Games athletes fail doping tests
JAKARTA (JP): The 19th SEA Games organizing committee announced yesterday that four medalists had tested positive for banned substances.
Secretary-general Rudolf S. Warouw identified the athletes as Indonesian cyclist Tonton Susanto, Myanmar body builder Khing Maung Htwe, and marksman Nuanwan Kerdsumran and decathlete David Jimsumruay, both Thai.
Rudolf, who is also the National Sports Council's secretary- general, said the Jakarta doping laboratory, which received temporary accreditation from the Sydney doping laboratory for the Games, had checked Tonton's two urine samples.
One, numbered A-083630 and taken after his win in the 40 km Individual Time Trial (ITT), contained the stimulant fencafamine.
"From the analysis of his sample, we've concluded that he didn't consume it on purpose. He might not have realized that he had consumed medicine which contained the substance," Rudolf said.
He also won gold in the road race.
"His B sample, which was taken after winning the road race, tested negative," Rudolf said.
His gold in the ITT will be forfeited to the silver medalist, Victor Espiritu of the Philippines, while the silver will go to Malaysian Razali and the bronze to Indonesian M. Basri.
The SEA Games Federation's medical committee secretary, Dr. Carmen Jahja, who accompanied Rudolf, confirmed fencafamine was a prohibited substance under international sports rules.
"This substance can stimulate a person's strength, and can't be bought without a prescription," she said.
The Indonesian Cycling Federation's secretary-general, Didi Soedijanto, said responsibility for Tonton's mistake should be borne by the whole team.
"I believe he didn't take the substances on purpose. He may not have known that he consumed the drug," he said.
Rudolf said the doping control and gender verification committee had yet to check B samples of the foreign athletes, pending notification of their national organizing committees.
"The organizers will send letters to the respective NOCs informing them of the problem. We hope they will respond soon on whether they want us to check the B samples."
Kerdsumran, who won the gold in the women's 10-meter air rifle, and David, gold medalist in the decathlon, tested positive for salbutamol.
The drug is used for respiratory problems such as asthma, but also has an anabolic side effect.
Use of salbutamol is permitted by inhaler only, and must be declared in writing prior to the event's medical authorities prior to competition.
Kerdsumran will most likely return her gold, which would go to runner up Dang Thi of Vietnam, while Malaysian Norika Binti Abdullah would receive the silver.
David's gold may go to Indonesian Gaos Maturidi, with Myanmar's Win Nyut taking silver.
Khing, who won the bronze in the 75 kg men's category, tested positive for phenylpropanolamine, an appetite suppressant and decongestant sometimes used as a stimulant. (yan)