Athletics Australia demands answers over the treatment of Peter Bol

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Athletics Australia has demanded answers of Australian and world anti-doping agencies over the treatment of Olympian Peter Bol, who was “left in no man’s land” for months, accused of doping before officially being cleared by Sport Integrity Australia on Tuesday.

Bol was exonerated by SIA, who have admitted world doping scientists re-analysing his drug tests now believe the original failed test was a false positive, meaning Bol should never have been charged or provisionally banned.

AA chief executive Peter Bromley joined Bol in saying that SIA and the World Anti-Doping Authority owed it to all athletes to explain what went wrong in the Bol case.

Peter Bol won a silver medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.Credit: Getty Images

“This case raises very serious questions about the accuracy and consistency of EPO analysis,” Bromley said.

“Peter Bol has been trapped in a very difficult and damaging no-man’s land for the last seven months. He, and every other high-performance athlete, deserves clear and transparent answers to explain what went wrong and what is being done to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

WADA said on Tuesday it would review its EPO testing process due to the “peculiarities” of the Bol case.

Bromley said the terms of reference, the time frame, and the findings of the review had to be made public.

For Bol, the news that he had finally been cleared was “a dream come true”.

“Good morning Australia, I have been exonerated,” Bol said in a statement early on Tuesday.

Peter Bol has insisted all along he was innocent.Credit: The Age

SIA had released a statement saying further testing of Bol’s original failed drug test for the presence of EPO, which led to him being provisionally suspended in January, should have been recorded as a negative.

“It was a false positive like I have said all along,” Bol said in his statement from Europe, where he is training ahead of the World Athletics Championships later this month.

“The news from Sport Integrity Australia was a dream come true.

“I am glad to see that WADA has agreed to review the EPO testing process to prevent future false positives. No one should ever experience what I have gone through this year.

“My process now is the World Athletics Championships coming up in Hungary, I am in good form and feeling well. I appreciate the support I have received.”

Bol was provisionally banned in January this year after returning a positive result to doping tests.

A later test of his B sample was found to be “atypical” – neither positive nor negative – but was sufficient for the provisional suspension to be lifted because the B sample did not match the A sample.

But that atypical test was not, on its own, sufficient for Sport Integrity Australia to completely clear him, so an investigation continued.

SIA used more World Anti Doping Authority experts to analyse both of Bol’s A and B blood samples and used different laboratories to analyse the samples for drugs. They found the A sample should have been a negative.

“The further analysis resulted in varying expert opinions as to the positive or negative reporting of the sample, and the A sample was reported as negative,” the SIA statement said.

“As a result, Sport Integrity Australia have taken the decision not to progress an anti-doping rule violation for this sample. The investigation into this sample is finalised.”

WADA released a statement saying it was satisfied SIA had “followed all applicable processes in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code” in its decision to drop the investigation into Bol for an anti-doping rule violation.

“While we have no reason to question the validity of the analytical method used for recombinant EPO, WADA will assess the current review process in light of the particularities of this case,” the WADA statement read.

SIA said the process for detecting EPO was unique.

“It is important to highlight that the analysis for synthetic EPO is a unique process which is different to how other prohibited substances are identified,” the SIA statement read.

“Athletes in Australia should have confidence in the anti-doping system that has allowed Sport Integrity Australia to conduct a thorough investigation.

“A review and strengthening of the EPO review process by WADA is an indication of good governance structures in place.

“Sport Integrity Australia will now await outcomes of the WADA review of the EPO review process.
Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges the significant public interest in this outcome. However, Sport Integrity Australia is required to comply with its obligations under the World Anti-Doping Code and its international standards, and our legislative requirements, and cannot make any further comment in relation to the matter.”

Australia’s federal sports minister, Anika Wells, who has executive oversight of SIA was contacted several times for comment.

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