OMEN
06-21-2006, 09:17 AM
STRESS of exams is allegedly behind Kelly Heuchan's decision not to provide a drug sample, a choice which today left her banned from water polo for two years.
The Australia Olympic team member, capped 31 times and a key member of the 2004 Athens Games team, was handed the sentence by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after she'd refused to comply with an out of competition test request in November last year.
Her father Ashley said she would appeal the decision because she'd been under immense pressure at the time and was all but retired from international competition.
Heuchan hadn't played for Australia since the Athens Games and was preparing for first year engineering exams in Perth when she was contacted to attend an out of competition test, Ashley Heuchan said today.
The now 26-year-old, who'd been told she would need a shoulder reconstruction to be a chance of representing Australia again, decided not to go to the test.
"She was caught off guard a little bit but looking back it was probably the wrong decision," Ashley Heuchan said.
"At the time she couldn't give the commitment to the sport and was effectively retired.
"She has made a mistake but we will appeal."
Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) chairman Richard Ings said today the decision to institute the maximum penalty was a reminder to all athletes that they must comply with any request by a doping control official to provide a sample. "A failure to provide a sample is a violation of the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) code which carries the most serious of consequences," Ings said.
"The code puts the onus on athletes to be knowledgeable of and comply with all their obligations under their sports anti-doping policies and rules and this athlete now faces a lengthy absence from her sport."
But Ashley Heuchan was adamant his daughter - who was undertaking further university exams today and would not know of her ban until tonight - wasn't informed properly about the consequences of her actions.
He said she'd been drug tested numerous times in the US where she was captain of the UCLA team and there had been no problems.
"Playing water polo costs you money you don't get anything out of it," he said.
"She will be in tears tonight."
The ban puts Heuchan, who's club team is the Perth-based Melville Marlins, out of the sport until November 2007.
AAP
The Australia Olympic team member, capped 31 times and a key member of the 2004 Athens Games team, was handed the sentence by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after she'd refused to comply with an out of competition test request in November last year.
Her father Ashley said she would appeal the decision because she'd been under immense pressure at the time and was all but retired from international competition.
Heuchan hadn't played for Australia since the Athens Games and was preparing for first year engineering exams in Perth when she was contacted to attend an out of competition test, Ashley Heuchan said today.
The now 26-year-old, who'd been told she would need a shoulder reconstruction to be a chance of representing Australia again, decided not to go to the test.
"She was caught off guard a little bit but looking back it was probably the wrong decision," Ashley Heuchan said.
"At the time she couldn't give the commitment to the sport and was effectively retired.
"She has made a mistake but we will appeal."
Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) chairman Richard Ings said today the decision to institute the maximum penalty was a reminder to all athletes that they must comply with any request by a doping control official to provide a sample. "A failure to provide a sample is a violation of the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) code which carries the most serious of consequences," Ings said.
"The code puts the onus on athletes to be knowledgeable of and comply with all their obligations under their sports anti-doping policies and rules and this athlete now faces a lengthy absence from her sport."
But Ashley Heuchan was adamant his daughter - who was undertaking further university exams today and would not know of her ban until tonight - wasn't informed properly about the consequences of her actions.
He said she'd been drug tested numerous times in the US where she was captain of the UCLA team and there had been no problems.
"Playing water polo costs you money you don't get anything out of it," he said.
"She will be in tears tonight."
The ban puts Heuchan, who's club team is the Perth-based Melville Marlins, out of the sport until November 2007.
AAP