Aussie Olympian Thorpe cleared of doping charges

Australian News.Net
Friday 31st August, 2007 (ANI)

Sydney, Aug.31 : Australian Olympic legend Ian Thorpe has been cleared of the doping allegations that emerged after he returned abnormal levels of testosterone in a urine sample in May 2006.

"The evidence available does not indicate the use of performance-enhancing substances by Mr Thorpe,'' the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority said in a statement today.

Thorpe, who won five Olympic gold medals and 11 world titles before announcing his retirement last November, said he was relieved to have his name cleared.

"My reputation as a fair competitor in swimming is the thing I value most. I have been deeply touched by all the messages I've received from Australians and people all over the world who let me know they believed in me. I have always been, and remain, a strong supporter of anti-doping testing. I firmly believe drugs have no place in sport. I took my obligations to comply with the anti-doping codes very seriously and prided myself on this," AAP quoted Thorpe, as saying.

ASADA said it conducted a comprehensive review of the case, including an examination of Thorpe's test history and medical information Thorpe supplied to them.

ASADA is understood to have picked up an irregularity in an initial sample then conducted a further test in which it found the increased levels were naturally occurring.

ASADA dismissed the case, but the world governing body of swimming, FINA, sought intervention from the Court of Arbitration for Sport to have the matter reopened.

Thorpe, 24, was dismayed when details of his case were leaked to French newspaper L'Equipe in March, claiming his reputation had been tarnished.

His manager, David Flaskas, said that Thorpe knew his name would eventually be cleared.

"We were pleased that ASADA consulted independent experts from internationally respected organisations, and they were unanimous in their opinion that there was no evidence of the use of performance-enhancing substances," Flaskas said.

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