Swiss 100m record holder Alex Wilson has been banned for a further ten years by the Swiss sports court. This is for doping with EPO, possession of prohibited substances and undue influence, writes Swiss Sport Integrity in a press release.
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- Alex Wilson is banned for ten more years for EPO doping, possession of banned substances such as growth hormones and false whereabouts information
- A blood sample from 2021 subsequently tested positive, and the facts are supported by the confession of a US naturopath who allegedly supplied Wilson with doping substances.
- The ban applies from April 28 of this year. Wilson did not attend the hearing and must pay an additional fine of CHF 17,400. Swiss Athletics welcomes the harsh sanction and is deeply disappointed.
The four-year ban that Wilson received for a positive doping test would have expired next Monday. In March 2021, Swiss Sport Integrity tested the now 34-year-old sprinter unannounced after a training camp in Las Vegas. The sample contained traces of trenbolone.
Swiss Sport Integrity then continued the investigation and commissioned a follow-up analysis of a blood sample taken in July 2021. This led to a positive result for erythropoietin (EPO). Wilson denied taking EPO in a statement shortly after the blood sample was analyzed.
Wilson stayed away from the trial without an excuse
In the course of the investigation, Swiss Sport Integrity revealed that Wilson was in possession of banned substances, including growth hormones. In addition, Wilson is said to have deliberately provided false whereabouts information, which constitutes undue influence. As CH Media reported on Thursday, the facts are supported by the confession of naturopath Eric Lira before a court in the USA. He is alleged to have supplied Wilson with growth hormones and EPO in 2021.
A few days ago, the main hearing took place before the Swiss sports court, which Wilson attended without excuse and without making a statement. Due to the aggravating circumstances, the ban for a second offense was increased from eight to ten years. The new ban will come into effect on April 28. Wilson must also pay a fine and costs of CHF 17,400. The ruling is not yet legally binding.
Swiss Athletics welcomed the sanction against Alex Wilson: "In our view, the severe penalty is absolutely justified in view of the repeated, brazen offense," said Markus Lehmann, Managing Director of the athletics association, in a press release. He was "deeply disappointed" by the Basel athlete's behavior: "It contradicts all the values of sport, which many people in Swiss athletics stand up for every day."
