Thai drug users may keep SEA Games golds

JAKARTA (JP): Two Thai athletes, who were found guilty of using banned substances in last month's SEA Games, may not have to forfeit their gold medals.

Letters of authorization from the athletes' doctors were never passed on to the medical committee, its secretary Carmen Jahya said yesterday.

Shooter Nuanwan Kerdsumran and decathlete David Jimsumruay stated that they gave the letters to the urine collectors after winning their medals, she said.

"There's a missing link because the collectors said they did not receive any letters. It's difficult to trace the whereabouts of the letters.

"We have to admit that there's a weakness in the system. The collectors should make a note after receiving such important documents."

The Thai Olympic Committee has since sent copies of the doctors' letters to the medical committee.

Nuanwan, who won gold in the women's 10-meter air rifle event, and David, the gold medalist in the decathlon, tested positive for salbutamol.

The drug is used to treat respiratory problems such as asthma but it also has an anabolic and stimulant side effect.

Use of salbutamol is permitted by inhaler only and must be declared in writing to the medical authorities prior to the competition.

Carmen said the committee had asked its 10 members whether they would accept the duplicates.

"Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia have accepted the copies but we're still waiting for responses from other countries," she said. "However, the SEA Games Federation's executive committee will make the final decision."

Carmen said Myanmar body builder Khing Maung Htwe, who tested positive for phenylpropanolamine -- an appetite suppressant and decongestant which is sometimes used as a stimulant -- was still considered guilty.

"If Myanmar wants to witness the testing of sample B in Sydney it only has until the end of the week to respond. If they don't respond we'll have the sample tested with or without them," she said.

Earlier yesterday, the Games organizing committee's secretary- general, Rudolf S. Warouw, said the announcement of medal confiscations would not be made until the executive committee reached a decision.

"The executive committee or the committee president himself can make the decision about the confiscation."

Warouw said if an athlete's A and B urine samples tested positive for banned substances, the organizers must punish the athlete.

"If we don't impose sanctions by confiscating an athlete's medal, then what will be the state of sports in the future?

"There will always be excuses offered even though the athletes have been found guilty of using banned substances," he said. (yan)