Extract of the Ruling of the Hearing – Geir Helgemo
By Anna Gudge In Archive, Event update, News On 28th February 2019
Extract of the Ruling of the Hearing of the WBF Antidoping Panel held on 11th February 2019 in Lausanne at the Maison Du Sport International.
In compliance with the provisions of the Code of the World Anti-Doping Agency, a number of samples were obtained from Players participating in the World Bridge Series held in Orlando in 2018. On 29th September 2018, Geir Helgemo provided a sample that was sent for laboratory testing; the results identified an Adverse Analytical Finding with the presence of Clomifene and synthetic Testosterone that constituted an Anti-Doping Rule Violation as specified within the World Bridge Federation Anti-Doping Rules.
As a consequence of the laboratory analysis, an anti-doping charge was brought against the player; he accepted that he had committed the violation and accepted a provisional suspended pending consideration by the Anti-Doping Panel. He provided details of how the prohibited substances may have come to be present in his system.
The Anti-Doping Hearing Panel, having found Geir Helgemo guilty of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation, unanimously imposed the following sanctions:
- a) Geir Helgemo shall be ineligible to take part in bridge competition for a period of one year. Since he has previously accepted a voluntary provisional suspension, Geir Helgemo remains suspended until 20 November 2019.
- b) The title, medal, awards and masterpoints achieved by Geir Helgemo in the Rosenblum Cup 2018 and in all other competitions within the World Bridge Series 2018 are revoked and the medals and awards have to be returned to the WBF.
- c) Consequent upon the Anti-Doping Rule Violation by Geir Helgemo, the Team Zimmerman result in the Final is automatically disqualified and the Team considered to have lost the Final of the Rosenblum Cup.
- d) The Anti-Doping Hearing Panel having determined that the Team had No Fault or Negligence, the Team-mates are allowed to retain their medals, awards and masterpoints related to the second place of ranking in the Rosenblum Cup.
- e) The nature of this and all championships require the National Federation to attest to the good standing of the athlete; no wrong doing or responsibility was found to be held against the Monaco Bridge Federation.
- f) Geir Helgemo shall refund the WBF for the costs of the hearing, calculated at 3659 €.
Jurica Carić Ata Aydin Francesca Carnicelli
Chairman Member Member
Herman De Wael
Secretary
Extract of the Ruling 11.02.2019