Frozen specimens are fatal to swimmers

Australia could pick up an Olympic medal for the first time in its history: A later analysis of a champion swimmer Brenton Rickard shows the banned substance furosemide.

The Australian team is threatened by withdrawing the bronze medal in the 4 x 100m relay in London 2012, reported the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. The 37-year-old wasn’t in the final himself, but he helped the team get there early.

The newspaper quotes an email Rickard wrote to his former teammates on Friday, informing them of the possibility of losing a medal. He said he had always hated doping and was living his “worst nightmare”. He is innocent and will defend himself.

An over-the-counter ingredient?

His lawyers said it was an extremely small amount of the drug. Furosemide is a diuretic substance and by itself does not improve performance. In doping it is used to cover up illegal substances.

The case is now under consideration by the SAC Lausanne International Sports Court. Rickard’s attorney, Rebekah Giles, told the Australian Associated Press (AAP) that furosemide was likely an ingredient in an over-the-counter drug.

Samples are stored for eight years

The doping samples of the Olympics are frozen and stored for eight years. Better detection methods must be used to subsequently punish violations.

Rickard, who ended his career in 2013, won the silver medal in the 200-meter chest at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At the Commonwealth Games, he won a total of three gold medals.