Australia’s minister for sport has called on the World Anti-Doping Agency to prioritise its review of EPO testing to remove ambiguity for athletes, after Olympian Peter Bol was sensationally cleared following the admission from doping bodies that his first alleged failed drug test was not a failed test at all.
Anika Wells, who as federal sport minister is also a WADA committee member, said on Wednesday that athletes needed clarity.
Peter Bol has been cleared of doping.Credit: Scott McNaughton, Getty
“The case is unique, with varying expert opinions. I look forward to the outcome of WADA’s review so ambiguity of the analysis of synthetic EPO is removed and athletes around the world can have more clarity around these processes,” Wells said.
“I wish Peter Bol the very best in the upcoming world athletics championships in Hungary later this month.
“This has been a long process and I welcome the WADA review of the analysis for EPO. It’s in the interests of all athletes in Australia and around the world that any ambiguity in the analysis of synthetic EPO is thoroughly reviewed.”
Wells said she wanted “to make sure that any review conducted is prioritised and thorough”.
Bol was exonerated on Tuesday when Sports Integrity Australia announced in a statement that it had abandoned a doping violation investigation after further analysis revealed his first failed drug test should not have been returned as a positive test.
Wells defended the role of Sport Integrity Australia by saying it had followed WADA guidelines. SIA uses WADA-accredited laboratories in Australia for testing.
Sport Minister Anika Wells.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Other WADA-approved laboratories and scientists overseas later reviewed that sample and eventually agreed it should have been considered a negative.
Wells would not comment on whether SIA’s handling of the case, or the handling of the sample by WADA-accredited laboratories in Australia, would be reviewed.
She also did not comment on whether there would be an investigation into how the news of Bol’s first failed drug sample was leaked, only days before the announcement of the Young Australian of the Year award for which he was a finalist and favourite to win.
“WADA has confirmed Sport Integrity Australia has adhered to the world anti-doping code. Under the code, Sport Integrity Australia was obligated to investigate an atypical result and we would expect the same from other countries,” she said.
Athletics Australia has demanded urgent answers from WADA over the testing methods for EPO after Bol was left in no man’s land for seven months.
The Australian team for the world athletics championships in Budapest later this month will be announced on Monday, but there is no doubt that Bol, who has run qualifying times, will be in it.
“He is a good athlete and would make Australia’s team stronger. If he is not banned – and he is not banned – then he is going to help us,” Australia’s middle-distance coach Nic Bideau said.
“The rules are there and he has no issues, so he is only going to make us better.”
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