Venezuelan Athletics Athlete Suspended after Anti-Doping Rule Violation

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that the Venezuelan athlete Yoldani Silva Pimentel, the Parapan American Games 100m T12 gold medallist, has been suspended for two years for an Anti-Doping Rule Violation. Silva Pimentel returned an adverse analytical finding for Stanozolol Metabolites, 19-Norandrosterone and 19-Noretiocholanolone in a urine sample provided on 15 November 2011 following his 100m race at the 2011 Parapan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

These substances are included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2011 Prohibited List under the Anabolic Agents category and are consequently prohibited under the IPC Anti-Doping Code. A hearing was held in the case of Silva Pimentel. The athlete indicated that he had suffered a leg injury in August and had attended a health care centre for rehabilitation treatment. He was treated with injections and told the medication was “vitamins for the pain”. Once notified of his violation, the athlete discovered that the individual who treated him was not an accredited physician.

One of the substances found in Silva Pimentel’s sample cannot remain in the body for two months. The athlete was not able to explain where the substances came from and attributed them to the injections received in August.

In accordance with the IPC Anti-Doping Code, Yoldani Silva Pimentel will serve a two year suspension for the offence beginning on 29 November 2011; the date from which he was notified of his Anti-Doping Rule Violation. All results obtained from the date of the competition on 15 November 2011 and onwards, will be disqualified with all the resulting consequences including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.

This means that Silva Pimentel has been stripped of his Parapan 100m T12 title.

As a result his teammate Vargas Lopez Argenis moves from silver to gold, Mexico’s Jorge Benjamin Gonzalez Sauceda will receive the silver medal after originally finishing third and fourth place finisher Lazao Reus Fabian of Cuba will receive the bronze medal.

A financial sanction of EUR 1,500 was also imposed on the athlete.

The principle of strict liability applies to anti-doping matters. An athlete is responsible for any Prohibited Substance found in his or her sample. It is the responsibility of both the athlete and the athlete support personnel to be knowledgeable of and comply with all Anti-Doping rules and policies.

As a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC), the IPC remains committed to a doping free sporting environment at all levels. The IPC, together with the International Federations and the National Paralympic Committees, established the IPC Anti-Doping Code to prevent doping in sport for Paralympic athletes, in the spirit of fair play.