Australian middle distance champions Ollie Hoare and Stewart McSweyn say they still have confidence in the anti-doping system despite the recent experience of their friend and teammate Peter Bol.
Bol tested positive to EPO in one drug sample and was provisionally suspended on January 10 this year, but his secondary test sample came back with an atypical reading, which was neither a positive nor negative result. That atypical result was sufficient for Bol’s suspension to be lifted, though a Sport Integrity Australia investigation continues.
Australian runner Peter Bol.Credit:Getty Images
Hoare, who won Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham last year, said he was heartbroken about the Bol investigation.
“Obviously hearing Pete’s news is very heartbreaking. I mean, I’m a good friend of Pete,” said Hoare.
“He’s been an amazing ambassador for the sport, but there’s a testing system there for a reason and obviously the investigations and everything like that will continue after having an atypical result.
“To me as an athlete you have got to have structure and rules there. I’m here to participate, and I’ll be tested as will Pete, as will Stewie [McSweyn] as will every athlete that goes through that system.
“To say that I’m heartbroken about the situation is definitely something I can say but other than that, I’m just going like everyone else and just waiting to see how the investigation will proceed.
Ollie Hoare won Commonwealth Games gold in the 1500m.Credit:Getty
“I believe that our testing, Sport Integrity Australia and World Athletics, it’s there for a reason.”
Bol’s lawyer, coach and manager have pointed to the atypical result after the positive drug test as evidence of the testing method for EPO being too subjective. But Hoare said he was confident he was doing everything in his power to limit the risk.
Hoare admitted it was a constant concern that an athlete could unwittingly have something in their system or that samples could be mixed up.
“There’s always those fears of those situations, like what happens if a test gets contaminated, or they accidentally mix up a number on a test, and it’s no fault for you,” Hoare said.
“I do what I can do in my control, I limit my factors of having that situation. If I have my agent or my coach around me, I will always have a chaperone for a double set of eyes in that procedure. I follow that system so that they minimise the risks as an athlete of that situation happening.
“We’re limiting that factor as much as possible which means that when tests come out, I believe they would be much more in my control. But people make mistakes or things happen, but in my situation in my world, I try and control what I can control.
“With Pete having that sample come back atypical is a different situation, you know, an investigation ongoing, and they’ll have people looking into it.
“And rocking my confidence in the system? I don’t think so because I, personally, control my system and the way it goes with that testing structure.”
Stewart McSweyn with Abbey Caldwell, Jessica Hull and Hoare.Credit:Getty
McSweyn said he was troubled by the Bol situation because he was a close friend.
“Pete is a good friend of mine so I can’t call it, I just have no idea.
“I’m just not sure on the details. I think there’s a lot smarter people than me who can comment on that … We just try and control what we can control and the system is what the system is.”
Having won a bronze medal running together in the mixed relay teams even at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, the two Australian champions will go head-to-head at the Maurie Plant race meet in Melbourne on Thursday night, taking on Rio Olympic gold medallist Matthew Centrowitz from the USA.
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