Michelle DeBruin Four-Year Ban Upheld -- June 8, 1999

Lausanne, Switzerland - The Court of Arbitration for Sport announced that it has upheld the four-year ban imposed by FINA on Ireland's triple Olympic gold medalist, Michelle DeBruin.

DeBruin had been found guilty of adulterating her urine sample in an out-of-competition test in January 1998 with alcohol. The IOC testing lab in Barcelona also found a "metabolite for a steroid" later identified as androstendione.

Contacted in Europe, where she is competing in the Mare Nostrum meets, U.S. swim star Jenny Thompson, said: "Banning cheaters is the right thing to do. I just can't believe it's taken so long."