The doping scandal surrounding Croatian athletes Vitomir Maricic and Petar Klovar continues to evolve.
Both athletes announced on social media the results of their doping pee tests administered when they arrived in the Bahamas and were searched.
The athletes were met by Vertical Blue organizer William Trubridge when they landed in Long Island and were subject to a search of their luggage, which is allowed based on the anti-doping rules athletes are required to sign upon entry to the competition.
Various Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs), including anti-anxiety drugs and a diuretic that is known to mask test results, were found in their luggage; a WADA (the anti-doping agency) official administered a doping pee test, and based on the Vertical Blue Doping Policy & Procedure, they were banned from the competition for possessing PEDs without a valid prescription.
Speaking to a Dr familiar with the event and WADA anti-doping rules they said:
“WADA states that possession or complicity qualifies as an anti-doping rule violation. BUT WADA doesn’t have jurisdiction over AIDA, AIDA only follows WADA rules but is not affiliated and Vertical Blue is not itself associated with WADA”
Speaking to DeeperBlue.com, both athletes are very frustrated with what they perceive as a witch-hunt in public. Maricic said via email:
“We are counting more than 80,000 EUR of damages and expenses because of individuals engaging in illegal activities and publishing them openly calling for a media trial, understanding that there is no chance to win any normal trial with arguments because it was very clear to the person who initiated this that we did nothing wrong.”
He also believes the Anti-Doping system and CMAS – who recently announced a provisional ban of both athletes pending further investigation – to be corrupt:
“I know I sound frustrated, because I am frustrated and disappointed, because this case clearly shows the antidoping system and CMAS are corrupt systems”
