Retired swimming sensation Ian Thorpe can finally breathe easy after the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) cleared him from a doping slur which otherwise could have been an unfortunate blemish on Thorpe’s illustrious career.
Thorpe, who won five Olympic gold medals before calling it quits in November last year, appeared in a drug test in May 2006 where the increased levels of testosterone and leutenising hormones raised questions about his possible doping offence.
Australian anti-doping authorities, however, cleared ‘Thorpedo’ saying that the rise in hormone levels occurred naturally in his body and the swimmer has no doping case against him.
The news came as music to Thorpe’s ear and he was visibly relieved as he said
My reputation as a fair competitor in swimming is the thing I value most.
I have always been, and remain, a strong supporter of anti-doping testing.
ASADA sought help from scientists around the world and claimed it was a unanimous decision that Thorpe had not used performance-enhancing drugs.
