Romania act on drug abuse

Saturday 04 August 2001 19:00 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The Romanian Olympic Committee yesterday banned a hammer thrower and two footballers from competing for the country in the Olympics after the athletes tested positive for illegal drugs.

The hammer thrower Mihaela Melinte, who has held the world record in her specialist power event since 1999, was banned from Olympic competition for life after testing positive in May last year.

In addition the footballers, Adrian Neaga of Steaua Bucharest and Cristian Buturuga of Arges Pitesti, have also been suspended after testing positive in May following a league game. Both players were with Arges Pitesti at the time of their positive dope tests.

Dan Popper, the committee's secretary general, said the suspension were prove of Romania's commitment to stamping out drug use among their sportsmen and women. "We stand by a decision we made in 1999 to ban for life any athlete with a positive doping test," he said.

Melinte has lodged an appeal against her ban with the international sports tribunal in Switzerland, and she will be reinstated for Olympic eligibility if she can persuade that committee of her innocence, Popper said.

The Romanian bans apply only to the Olympic Games so that means that any athletes suspended can still take part in other competitions, such as the current athletics World Championships.

More than 20 Romanian athletes have been banned from the Olympics since 1999, when the Romanian Olympic Committee imposed its tough new policies against drug abuse in sport.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in