Vitaly Melnikov, Another Russian Doper, Banned For Two Years

FINA announced today yet another Russian doping ban as European short course champion Vitaly Melnikov has been banned for two years for testing positive for EPO.

Melnikov tested positive for EPO on Dec. 12 and 13, 2013 during the LEN European Swimming Championships. FINA posted a full explanation of the proceedings, and the timing of this case taking this long to go public looks to be the FINA Doping Panel attempting to give Melnikov plenty of room to be part of the process, without any response from Melnikov.

The entire testing procedure and investigation process from Jan. 29, 2014 when Melnikov’s test first came back positive through Aug. 7, 2014, when Melnikov wrote a letter stating that he would not defend himself. Melnikov had already been provisionally-suspended by FINA on April 1, 2014, pending the resolution of this issue.

Melnikov stopped communicating with FINA, according to its decision document, at the time of his August letter. FINA attempted to reach out to Melnikov several times throughout the following months before FINA made a final decision on Jan. 23, 2015.

According to a post today, the FINA Doping Panel decided that the positive test for Erythropoietin – EPO (Class S.2 Peptides Hormones, Growth Factors and related Substances) called for a two-year ban since it was the first anti-doping offense for Melnikov.

FINA also stripped Melnikov of his results back to Dec. 12, 2013, which cost Russia its men’s medley relay with Italy now holding gold for the event. Also, Melnikov’s silver from the 100 back goes to Camille Lacourt of France and Chris Walker-Hebborn of Great Britain.

This is Russia’s 20th doping case in the past five years, following the recent suspension of Vladimir Dyatchin.

According to Craig Lord of SwimVortex, the Russian Swimming Federation is now just one more positive doping case within a 12-month period from being banned from competing at its own World Championships this summer, which would require the event to be moved as well.

Melnikov’s test takes the Russian count of ‘FINA-reported cases’ to three in the same 12-month period. Melnikov’s case was reported in April this year as a ‘temporary suspension’, pending further inquiries.

The three Cases:

FINA Case: Vitaly Melnikov (RUS) – Erythropoietin – EPO (Class S.2 Peptides Hormones, Growth Factors and related Substances) at the LEN European Swimming Championships held in Herning (DEN). Two years’ suspension – cancellation of results (forfeiture of medals/prizes, reimbursement of prize money).
FINA Case: Yuliya Efimova – DC 2.1 – 7-keto DHEA OOCT
California out of competition test, October 13 [Term: 31-Oct-13 – 28-Feb-14]
FINA Case: Sergey Makov – DC 2.1 – Ostarine

Melnikov’s case means that the host to the FINA World Championships is just one international catch outside a whole nation ban that would have triggered a need to move the world swimming showcase event this July and August under FINA rules that forbid engagement of all members with a suspended member. The organisers of Kazan includes the Russian Swimming Federation.

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