Baggaley Ban Extended

FORMER world champion kayaker Nathan Baggaley has had his drug ban officially extended to two years and has been prevented from competing in today's Summer Series of Surf at North Burleigh, Queensland.

Baggaley originally was banned for 15 months from all sport by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after testing positive to two steroids, stanozolol and methandienone, in October 2005, and was planning to compete in today's surf ski race on the Gold Coast, as his featured comeback event.

But his ban has been extended to October 2007 following a CAS ruling this week, which further disrupts his preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The International Canoe Federation decided in March 2006 that it would impose the mandatory two-year steroid ban, as provided under the world anti-doping code, and determined that Baggaley was not eligible for competition until later this year.

It did not believe that Baggaley's excuse of swigging drug-laden orange juice that belonged to his brother (who was taking the drugs to recover from a football injury) could be classified as extenuating circumstances under the code.

It was alleged the juice was taken from a household fridge.

Baggaley had been appealing against that two-year sanction and was hoping to have the 15-month ban reinstated but the CAS has ruled that Baggaley had not filed his appeal against the canoe federation within the required 21-day time limit.

Baggaley lodged his appeal in October; the time limit had run out in April. The decision rules him out of all sport for seven months.

[Editor: Curious that the press still seems to be accepting the story that Baggaley's brother was being "treated for an injury" with stanozolol and methandienone.  According to doctors I've spoken to, those particular drugs are NEVER prescribed for injuries - they are used for one thing only: performance enhancement.]

See also:  

Former world champion kayaker Nathan Baggaley's orange juice defense was 'Pulp Fiction'