March 10th, 2016: WILL RUSSIA BE DISQUALIFIED FROM THE OLYMPICS?
Markin’s DOPING DRAMA is NOW getting interesting.
If proven that he was tested positive during the European Olympic Qualification Tournament then the International Olympic Committee may disqualify Russia from competing at the 2016 Olympics.
The 2016 FIVB Medical and Anti-Doping Regulations states that:
ARTICLE 11 CONSEQUENCES TO TEAMS
11.1 Volleyball
Where one member of a volleyball team has been notified of an anti-doping rule violation under Article 7 during an Event Period, the ruling body for the Event:
a) shall conduct appropriate Target Testing of the team during the Event Period
b) may decide that the team shall be subject to Disqualification from the Event or other disciplinary action, including forfeit of game(s) or of any medals and prizes, in addition to any Consequences imposed upon the individual Athlete(s) committing the anti-doping rule violation.
Factors to be included in considering whether to impose any sanction on a volleyball team under this Article might include, for example, the seriousness of the Athlete’s anti-doping rule violation, whether the Athlete tested negative in other games of the same Event, the extent to which the team’s result(s) in the game and/or Event in which the anti-doping rule violation occurred were likely to have been affected by the Athlete’s anti-doping rule violation etc.
If the FIVB decides to use “b” then it may mean the Russia will be disqualified from the 2016 Olympics so France will take their spot and gets a direct qualification.
If this happens, then that means Germany will now join Poland at the 2016 World Olympic Qualification Tournament in a few months.
Take note, the German press has already reported the possibilities we mentioned.
BUT!!!
According to this article released by rsport.ru, Markin took the drug in December of 2015 as confirmed by Alexander Yaremenko, president of the Russian Volleyball Federation.
FOR NOW…
Let’s wait until the FIVB decides on the case. The hearing is scheduled on April 19th.
March 8th, 2016: MARKIN FAILS DRUG TEST!
After missing several matches in the Russian League with his club team Dinamo Moscow, we finally know the REASON why.
According to rsport.ru, Russian outside hitter Aleksandr Markin has reportedly failed a doping test.
The drug? MELDONIUM. It’s the same drug that tennis superstar Maria Sharapova used after revealing that she had failed a drug test during Australian Open.
What is MELDONIUM?
Per theguardian.com:
• Meldonium is used to treat ischaemia: a lack of blood flow to parts of the body, particularly in cases of angina or heart failure.
• It is manufactured in Latvia and only distributed in Baltic countries and Russia. It is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States and is not authorised in the rest of Europe.
• It increases blood flow, which improves exercise capacity in athletes.
• Wada found “evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance” by virtue of carrying more oxygen to muscle tissue.
• The decision to add meldonium to the banned list was approved on 16 September 2015, and it came into effect on 1 January 2016. Wada had spent the previous year monitoring the drug before adding it to the banned list.
• The drug was name-checked in the latest investigative documentary on Russian doping reforms by the German Hajo Seppelt on Sunday. The documentary referred to a 2015 study in which 17% of Russian athletes (724 of 4,316) tested were found to have meldonium in their system. A global study found 2.2% of athletes had it in their system.
• L’Equipe reported that the scientific advisor to the French Agency Against Doping (AFLD), Professor Xavier Bigard, said in interviews with athletes at last year’s European Games in Baku that a wide proportion of athletes admitted taking meldonium.
• It is classed as an S4 substance under the Wada code, which addresses hormone and metabolic modulators.
• The standard ban under the World Anti-Doping Code is four years.
• A memo was sent out to athletes by Russia’s anti-doping agency last September informing them of the decision to ban its use.
• Sharapova says she has been taking the drug for 10 years after she was regularly falling ill. She had a magnesium deficiency and family history of diabetes.
• Several athletes have been suspended since the turn of 2016 after testing positive for the dug. Abebe Aregawi, the 2013 women’s 1,500m world champion, has been provisionally suspended after meldonium was found in a sample she provided. Endeshaw Negesse, the 2015 Tokyo marathon champion, was also banned after reportedly testing positive for the same substance. Others include Olga Abramova and Artem Tyschcenko, two Ukrainian biathletes, Eduard Vorganov, a Russian cyclist and Ekaterina Bobrova, a Russian ice dancer.
With a possible 4 year suspension, Markin will miss the 2016 Olympics after playing a superb match during the European Olympic Qualification Tourney & helped Russia win an Olympic ticket.
SAD.
The FIVB will review Markin’s case on April 19th.