Bree ‘would never cheat’ and vows to clear name

SWIMMER Andrew Bree yesterday insisted he “would never cheat” after testing positive to a banned substance last year.

US-based Bree, the only Irish swimmer to have qualified for the Olympic Games, has blamed the test result on a Vicks’ Nasal Inhaler which he purchased in the United States.

He registered an adverse finding for levmethamfetamine, which is contained in the American version of the product — which is not in the European equivalent.

And Bree has vowed to clear his name. He said: “I just can’t believe this, I’m totally shocked by it. I consider myself a role model for up and coming Irish swimmers and I would never do anything to blemish that or to bring shame on the sport.

“I want to see Irish swimming progress and the last thing I would do is cheat.

“I’m tested all the time because I’m a top ranked FINA swimmer and I’ve never had a problem.

“The next step is for me to clear my name so I can concentrate on Beijing.”

His father Barney added: “We believe that this negative test is the result of Andrew unwittingly taking a stimulant contained within an over-the-counter decongestant. Andrew has never knowingly taken a banned substance and abhors the use of performance enhancing drugs. He will move to clear his name as quickly as possible so that he can continue preparations for the Beijing Olympics.”

World governing body FINA’s rules suggest that Bree has a strong case to be allowed to continue competing as rule DC 10.3 states that: “The Prohibited List may identify specified substances which are particularly susceptible to unintentional anti-doping rules violations because of their general availability in medicinal products or which are less likely to be successfully abused as doping agents. Where a competitor can establish that the use of such a specified substance was not intended to enhance sport performance, the period of Ineligibility found in DC 10.2 shall be replaced with the following: First violation: At a minimum, a warning and reprimand and no period of Ineligibility from future Competitions, and at a maximum, one year’s ineligibility.”