U.S. Bobsledder’s Drug Suspension Extended to Two Years

In a scathing verdict issued late Thursday, the International Court of Arbitration for Sport denied U.S. bobsledder Pavle Jovanovic’s appeal of a nine-month drug suspension and extended the ban to the maximum two-year sanction permitted by international bobsled federation rules.

Jovanovic, a candidate for the brakeman spot in Todd Hays’ two-man sled, tested positive for the banned steroid 19-norandrosterone at a concentration above the limit. The North American Court for Arbitration of Sport, taking into account Jovanovic’s claim he had unknowingly ingested the substance in a dietary supplement, suspended him for nine months.

Jovanovic, of Toms River, N.J., acknowledged he had used 31 food supplements in the year before the test but appealed to the international body in hope the suspension would be lightened on the grounds he didn’t realize he was taking banned substances.

However, the international body instead recommended a stiffer penalty and declared “if an athlete ingests a food supplement, which contains within it a forbidden substance, he or she ‘uses’ the substance as well as the other ingredients of the supplement. No question of intent or knowledge is involved.... It is the panel’s view that ‘use’ is satisfied if an athlete ingests a prohibited substance whether or not he or she knows that he or she is doing so.”

The ruling by a three-judge panel said it was negligent of Jovanovic not to have heeded warnings about the risks of taking supplements.

“It is more likely, however, that he chose to ignore them,” it said. “If by his evidence he meant to deny that he has seen and read them, we do not accept it. If he decided to be his own advisor on these matters it was foolish of him to do so.... We are unimpressed by, and do not accept, the appellant’s evidence as to the care he took about the taking of supplements.”

Steve Mesler will replace Jovanovic on the bobsled team. The U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation had been permitted to submit 11 names for the 10-person roster until Thursday’s ruling was made.

Another bobsledder who tested positive for a banned substance, Sandis Prusis of Latvia, was permitted to compete in the Games despite a positive test in November.

The International Olympic Committee tried to ban him, but that decision was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on the grounds the IOC charter forbids overruling a decision made by an international governing body.

The World Anti-Doping Agency introduced an athlete passport system designed to combat drug use. Prince Albert of Monaco, who will compete in bobsled, signed his passport during a ceremony Thursday.

Signing up for the passport is voluntary but Dick Pound, the president of WADA, said he hopes peer pressure will persuade athletes to sign up. A registration system for athletes also affords them a chance to access lists of banned substances and the potential harm of those substances.

Three-time Olympic luge champion Georg Hackl of Germany had the fastest time on the first training run at Utah Olympic Park, with Armin Zoeggeler of Italy recording the fastest time on the second run. Hackl was timed in 44.826 seconds, with Zoeggeler clocked at 44.809 seconds.

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Helene Elliott