Thomas Fraser-Holmes ruled out of the Commonwealth Games for missing drug tests. Pics Adam Head
OLYMPIAN Thomas Fraser-Holmes has been handed a 12 month ban by FINA for missing three doping tests and will miss next year’s Commonwealth Games.
Sports lawyer Tim Fuller, who is acting for Fraser-Holmes, will appeal against the world swimming body’s ban immediately to the Court Arbitration for Sport.
Mr Fuller says Fraser-Holmes, a former world No.1 200m freestyler and two-time Olympian, has a ‘clean’ record despite missing three doping tests in 12 months.
Over a three-month period athletes must nominate an hour-long time-slot when they can be tested by FINA and ASADA drugs testers unannounced. Missing a test counts as a ‘strike’ and three strikes within 12 months can lead to a two-year ban from sport.
Swimming Australia’s image has taken a hit in the last month with Fraser-Holmes one of three top Australian swimmers banned or facing bans for missing drug tests.
Rio Olympic silver medallist Madeleine Groves could also face a ban after FINA claims she has missed three doping tests.
Open water swimmer and Rio Olympian Jarrod Poort has three strikes against his name for missing tests is also facing two years out of the pool. Poort could not be reached for comment.
Fraser-Holmes, who is in Monaco set to compete in an international swimming series, is said to be hopeful of defeating his 12-month ban.
“Let us be very clear as to what has eventuated here. Tom Fraser Holmes has not partaken in the ingesting of any prohibited substances. The decision handed down is for a breach of Whereabouts policy,” said Fraser-Holmes’ lawyer Fuller.
“On the matter, it was acknowledged by a number of authorities that the data recording system that Tom was required to use on a daily basis to log his whereabouts was faulty. A technical fault in the system prevented Tom from updating his whereabouts information. Yet, the FINA panel found that he had been ‘negligent’ in this particular area.
“The fact of the matter is that Tom is a swimmer who has reached the highest levels of his sport and has competed clean all of his career. He is an outstanding young man and is of exemplary character and is now facing the prospect of missing a Commonwealth Games in his hometown next year due to this decision.
“In the world of sport, there are countries and numerous athletes that compete dirty and cheat. Tom Fraser-Holmes is not such an athlete and never has been”.
“For the reasons addressed above and others, we will be appealing to the CAS and ultimately asking the Court to set aside the FINA Doping Panel decision and reinstate Tom Fraser-Holmes status as a competitive swimmer”.
Groves’ matter is ongoing and is yet to be heard by FINA. Groves missed her third test in San Diego in California when a FINA drug tester could not locate her on a Sunday afternoon at her accommodation.
Originally published as Top Aussie swimmer banned from Comm Games
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