Para swimmer Patricia Pereira dos Santos banned for anti-doping rule violation

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has banned Brazilian Para swimmer Patricia Pereira dos Santos for 12 months and stripped her off the medals won at the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru, for committing an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV).

The athlete returned an adverse analytical finding for prohibited substances in a urine sample provided on 21 August 2019 while competing at the 2019 Parapan American Games. The substances were Hydrochlorothiazide and metabolite, and SARM LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) and metabolite. These are included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2019 Prohibited List under the classes S5 - Diuretics and Masking Agents and S1.2 - Other Anabolic Agents, respectively.

The athlete’s supplements were analysed by a WADA-accredited lab and two of the supplements were found to be contaminated with the substances that Pereira dos Santos had tested positive for. Due to the athlete’s reduced level of fault for the violation and based on this contamination, the IPC and the athlete agreed on a 12-month sanction.

As a result of her violation, the athlete will be ineligible for competition for one year from the date of the test to 20 August 2020. All her results obtained at the 2019 Parapan American Games are subject to disqualification, with all resulting consequences, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.

This includes the Women’s 50m Freestyle S5 at the 2019 Parapan American Games, where the athlete won a silver medal. As a result of her disqualification, Argentina’s Ana Noriega, the original bronze medallist, will now be awarded the silver medal. The bronze medal now goes to Esthefany de Olivieira of Brazil.

Pereira dos Santos also loses her bronze medal won in the Women’s 100m Freestyle S5 at the same event. De Olivieira of Brazil will now receive the bronze medal.

Each athlete is strictly liable for the substances found in his or her sample. An ADRV occurs whenever a prohibited substance (or its metabolites or markers) is found in his or her bodily specimen, whether or not the athlete intentionally or unintentionally used a prohibited substance or was negligent or otherwise at fault.

As a signatory of the WADC, the IPC remains committed to a doping-free sporting environment at all levels. The IPC, together with the International Federations and the National Paralympic Committees, established the IPC Anti-Doping Code (ADC) to prevent doping in sport for Paralympic athletes, in the spirit of fair play. The IPC ADC is in conformity with the general principles of the WADC.