Joao Gomes Jr. Suspended Six Months For Positive Test

Nov 21, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; A fan holds up the national flag of Brazil during a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Photo Courtesy: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE

RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazilian breaststroker Joao Gomes Jr., a three-time world champion at the 2014 Doha World Championships in relay duty, was suspended for six months by FINA.

Brazil, however, will not lose the relay world titles since Gomes Jr. swam during prelims.

Gomes Jr. tested positive for a diuretic as part of a urine sample taken during that meet according to SporTV.

SporTV originally reported that Gomes Jr. tested positive for a diuretic during the meet, but only swam during prelims in each of Brazil’s world-title winning relays. Gomes Jr. also finished eighth in the 50 breast and 23rd in the 100 breast in Doha.

The Brazilian Swimming Federation used the same defense of cross contamination that Cesar Cielo and a few other Brazilian swimmers used successfully to fight off positive tests in the past.

FINA announced its decision today.

On December 4, 2014 the swimmer Joao Luiz Gomes Jr (BRA) was tested positive to the substance Hydrochlorothiazide (Class S.5 Diuretics and Other Masking Agents) with the occasion of the FINA World Swimming Championships in Doha (QAT).

The FINA Doping Panel decided according to the FINA DC Rule 10.4 to impose on the athlete a period of six (6) months’ ineligibility, starting on December 4, 2014 and ending at the conclusion of the June 3, 2015 for his first anti-doping rule violation.

Furthermore, the FINA Doping Panel decided that all results achieved by the swimmer on or after December 4, 2014 shall be annulled together with the consequences thereof (forfeiture of medals/prizes, reimbursement of prize money).

The results of the Brazilian relays obtained during the FINA World Swimming Championships in Doha (QAT) were not cancelled. The motivation of the FINA Doping Panel’s decision will follow in the near future.

This is the seventh positive test for a diuretic for a Brazilian swimmer, and is the 31st positive test for Brazilian swimming overall in its history according to SporTV.

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