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Doping case casts shadow over RI swimming team
Indra Gunawan: (Antara)Despite currently serving a two-year ban imposed by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) for using a performance-enhancing substance, swimmer Indra Gunawan will remain in Indonesiaâs swimming team for the 2014 Asian Games, pending a final decision on an appeal
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Indra Gunawan: (Antara) (Antara)
Indra Gunawan: (Antara)
Despite currently serving a two-year ban imposed by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) for using a performance-enhancing substance, swimmer Indra Gunawan will remain in Indonesia's swimming team for the 2014 Asian Games, pending a final decision on an appeal.
The next Asian Games will be held from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4 in Incheon, South Korea.
Indra reportedly used a performance-enhancing substance called Methylhexaneamine, which is contained in supplement drink Jack3D, along with fellow swimmer Guntur Pratama Putra during last year's Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.
Guntur, who was also slapped with a two-year ban, is not among the swimmers slated to join the Korean trip.
Both have previously received three-month bans from the Indonesian Anti-Doping Institution (LADI), which prevented them from taking part in the 2013 Islamic Solidarity Games in Palembang.
The ban is valid from July 2013 to July 2015, according to the FINA doping panel's decision published on its website fina.org. The decision also stated that all medals or prizes won by the aforementioned swimmers after July 1, 2013 would be annulled.
In a local newspaper, Indra ' who is currently training in Hungary ' said that he was surprised when he heard the news about the two-year ban as he had already served a LADI penalty.
Indra teamed up with Siman, Triady and Glenn Victor Sutanto to win gold in the men's 4x100 meter medley relay at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Myanmar last year.
The Indonesian swimming team ' which includes other gold medalists such as I Gede Siman Sudartawa (Men's 100 m Backstroke), Triady Fauzi Sidiq (Men's 100 m Freestyle), Glenn Victor Sutanto (Men's 4x100 m Medley Relay) and Ricky Anggawijaya (Men's 200 m Backstroke) ' is preparing for its first overseas tryouts, at the Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championship on March 18-23.
'Doping is very serious and it has become our main priority. We are currently preparing to appeal [to FINA] because Indra and Guntur have already received punishment from LADI,' said Indonesia Swimming Association (PRSI) chairman Sandiaga Uno via text message.
'Pending the final decision of the appeal, Indra will still be part of the team, until we get a final result. Hopefully we can get the result in two to three months,' said coach Albert C. Sutanto.
The Satlak Prima task force, which is in charge of preparing athletes for the games, has shortlisted some 150 athletes to compete in 20 different sports at the continent's biggest sporting showcase in Incheon.
The 2014 Asian Games will offer medals in 36 sports, which is six less than the number of sports featured at the 2010 Asian Games, where Indonesia brought home four gold medals to finish in 15th place out of 35 participating countries.
This year, according to Youth and Sports Ministry deputy chief of development affairs, Djoko Pekik Irianto, Indonesia is expected to win 9 medals and be placed in the top 10 of countries.
