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Park Tae-hwan apologizes for doping scandal

March 24, 2015
(Yonhap)

(Yonhap)

SEOUL, March 24 (Yonhap) — South Korean Olympic swimming champion Park Tae-hwan apologized Tuesday for his alleged anti-doping violation that led to a 18-month suspension.

On Monday, FINA, the international swimming governing body, handed down the ruling to Park, a four-time Olympic medalist and two-time world champion in freestyle, after he had tested positive for testosterone, a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The suspension will begin retroactively on Sept. 3 and conclude on March 2, 2016, according to the FINA website, with the decision to strip Park of one silver and five bronze medals he earned at last year’s Incheon Asian Games.

Park has 21 days to appeal the doping panel’s decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Upon Park’s arrival here from Lausanne, Switzerland, where his doping hearing took place, his agency, Team GMP, issued a statement and extended an apology.

“Park himself as well as the agency would like to apologize for causing the trouble and disappointing the people who have given constant support,” according to the statement. “Team GMP and the Korea Swimming Federation will hold an official press conference on the incident soon.”

Following the disclosure of his positive test in January, Park argued that a Seoul-based doctor had given him an injection in July without fully disclosing that it could contain a banned substance.

In February, prosecutors indicted the doctor on charges of professional negligence, on the grounds that he didn’t disclose the name, ingredients or side effects of the shot administered despite Park’s questions.

On its website, FINA said the suspension will begin retroactively on Sept. 3 and will conclude on March 2, 2016. Park is a first-time offender.

FINA also said Park will be stripped of all medals earned on or after Sept. 3. Competing at an arena bearing his own name, Park won one silver and five bronze medals at last year’s Incheon Asian Games, which took place after the samples were collected. Three of his bronze medals came in relay events, and Park’s teammates in those races will also lose their medals with Park’s suspension.