On July 4, 2023, Croatian freediving athletes Vitomir Maricic and Petar Klovar underwent an unofficial baggage search upon arriving on the annual Vertical Blue freediving competitors. Conducting the controversial search was occasion organizer and fellow athlete William Trubridge and off-duty Royal Bahamas law enforcement officials. Later that day, Maricic and Klovar additionally underwent an official doping management by a Bahamian doping management officer.
However after Vertical Blue posted an official assertion describing the end result of the search, together with a video of the drug blisters allegedly discovered of their baggage that included secretly recorded and closely edited audio clips, a social media controversy unfolded. The freediving world couldn’t cease speaking in regards to the search itself, the alleged performance-enhancing substances the athletes have been accused of carrying, and every freediving record-governing physique’s response to the accusations. Though Maricic’s and Klovar’s doping management outcomes finally got here again detrimental, they continued dealing with heavy criticism from customers on social media.
Nonetheless, Maricic and Klovar weren’t the one ones on the radar at Vertical Blue 2023. US freediving athlete Tory George additionally underwent doping management on the night of July 4th. Whereas he has remained comparatively quiet on the topic, he has now agreed to share his expertise, together with the aftermath, with the general public.
Freediving Doping Controversy
After 12 months of in depth investigation, together with over 400 hours of analysis and interviews by writer Kristina Zvaritch, DeeperBlue.com is solely releasing this four-part sequence about doping in freediving. The sequence is impressed by the occasions that preceded the 2023 version of the famend Vertical Blue freediving competitors and its aftermath. Kristina acquired no compensation for this investigation.
The sequence consists of the next articles:
A Observe about WADA, the Code, and Worldwide Requirements
Each step of the doping management course of and subsequent Outcomes Administration is printed in varied World Anti-Doping Code (WADA) paperwork, together with the core doc referred to as the ‘Code’ and eight Worldwide Requirements that keep consistency throughout anti-doping organizations. When a sports activities group turns into a Signatory to the Code, they’re chargeable for complying with the Code and Worldwide Requirements.
Complying with the right anti-doping procedures outlined by WADA is important for safeguarding athletes’ well being, guaranteeing honest competitors, sustaining public confidence in sports activities, and upholding the moral values upheld in athletic competitions. A corporation or particular person’s failing to comply with these procedures and requirements threatens the important thing rules of honest play, athlete well being, and the integrity of sports activities competitions.
US freediving athlete Tory George maintains that his rights have been violated throughout his doping management on July 4, 2023, the day of the Vertical Blue 2023 competitors itself, and within the following weeks and months.
Tory George’s Expertise with Vertical Blue Doping Management
On July 4, 2023, athletes who had arrived early on Lengthy Island, Bahamas, for the upcoming Vertical Blue freediving competitors gathered on the seaside to have a good time with drinks and dancing. The annual occasion was scheduled for June 20-30, however many opponents have been already current for pre-competition coaching. Tory George, who has been sober for 16 years, spent his time dancing and sweating, replenishing with fruit and loads of water to struggle dehydration. Round 7:00 p.m., these close by began receiving cellphone calls {that a} doping management officer (DCO) was in search of George to manage a doping management.
Observe: Two freediving record-governing our bodies maintain competitions in response to their very own guidelines and rules: the World Underwater Federation (recognized by its French acronym ‘CMAS’) and AIDA Worldwide (Worldwide Affiliation for the Growth of Apnea).
George knew that CMAS might find any particular person at any cut-off date for out-of-competition testing as they’re a WADA Code Signatory. However he had by no means skilled this earlier than at an AIDA competitors (who will not be but a Code Signatory), and he knew that Vertical Blue’s 2023 occasion was being held in response to AIDA guidelines.
Assembly the DCO
Tory George went to the placement specified by the DCO. Upon assembly and being introduced with the DCO’s ID badge, George inquired whether or not the doping take a look at was affiliated with AIDA or CMAS. The DCO referred to as the Bahamas Anti-Doping Fee (BADC) Government Director, who clarified that neither group was concerned and that the doping management was being privately funded.
George had by no means heard of a personal particular person ordering doping management, and a powerful sense of doubt started to creep into George’s thoughts, leaving him feeling that the state of affairs was outdoors normal doping management practices. “With my restricted understanding of my rights at the moment and doping protocol basically, I used to be scared, and I felt completely powerless. Like I wanted a lawyer,” he expressed to me.
George needed affirmation from the occasion organizer and fellow athlete William Trubridge earlier than persevering with, so he left the DCO to attempt to discover Trubridge. George was stunned that he was allowed to go, as he recalled present process doping management in Kas, Turkey, and the way he wasn’t allowed to depart with out supervision. It is because, in typical out-of-competition doping controls, DCOs are obligated to not let an athlete out of sight and not using a chaperone till they’ve offered a pattern.
Observe: Article 7.3.6 of the Worldwide Requirements for Testing and Investigations states that DCOs can approve athletes to depart the doping management station below sure situations. If a DCO doesn’t grant their approval, they might report a Failure to Comply, which the Testing Authority would examine. Nonetheless, this isn’t the case with George – it appears the DCO didn’t word a Failure to Comply since George was by no means notified of 1.
Tory George questions William Trubridge
When Tory George lastly reached William Trubridge on the cellphone, Trubridge confirmed that he was certainly the non-public particular person funding the doping management. George had questions: “Why is it solely me and the Croatians getting examined? And the place are the outcomes going should you’re the one which paid for it?” To start with, Trubridge informed George that he could be testing others and clarified he wouldn’t get the outcomes – solely AIDA officers, AIDA judges, and AIDA Worldwide themselves would obtain the outcomes.
“However then, in the direction of the top of the dialog, he informed me he was eradicating himself from the competitors and that he could be getting the outcomes,” George stated in our interview. “I felt extra confused than ever – why did he instantly say two various things, all throughout the similar dialog?”
From Half 1 of this sequence – Trubridge informed me in an interview that he thinks he formally dropped out of Vertical Blue 2023 as an athlete “someday in June.” After I requested him what the method is for eradicating himself, he defined, “I eliminated my title from the spreadsheets after which despatched an electronic mail to the webmaster who handles the web site saying ‘can you are taking my title off the ‘in’ checklist for the athletes’ and that went dwell right away. And so any athlete can see at any time what the ‘in’ checklist is for the occasion.” Nonetheless, a webpage archive from July 3, 2023, simply sooner or later earlier than the baggage search, confirmed him nonetheless on the checklist of opponents.
The Pattern Assortment
Though every little thing as much as that time didn’t match his earlier expertise with doping management, Tory George felt he had nothing to cover. So, he returned to the DCO and requested to have a photograph of his ID taken.
Because the DCO introduced his badge, George observed that the expiration date had handed 5 months in the past and pointed this out to the DCO. The DCO informed him that if he scanned the QR code on the badge, the outcomes would present that he was updated on-line. George tried scanning the QR code, however the badge’s plastic holder prevented his cellphone from studying it accurately. He informed the DCO, “The badge in all probability has to come back out of its case,” however the DCO merely returned his ID badge. I requested George why he didn’t problem the purpose additional. “It was late, and I needed to dive the following morning and already felt confused. I simply needed issues to be over,” he informed me.
The DCO gave George a bodily copy of the VB Doping Management Coverage and Procedures (a doc distinctive to Vertical Blue that acknowledged that together with WADA’s prohibited checklist of performance-enhancing medicine, there have been extra prohibited medicine, doable random baggage searches, and extra).
This was George’s first time seeing this doc. When he registered for Vertical Blue 2023, he remembered that he solely needed to test a couple of packing containers, however he had by no means seen the VB Doping Management Coverage and Procedures doc in its full kind.
From Half 1 of this sequence – In an Instagram remark, Trubridge claimed the VB Doping Management Coverage and Procedures doc was on-line earlier than athletes pre-registered in February. Nonetheless, archived Vertical Blue ‘Information’ pages from March, Could, and June don’t present the doc listed. It first appeared on a July 10 webpage archive, six days after the baggage search incident. When instantly requested about when the doc was positioned on the web site, Trubridge appeared unaware of its presence there. He went on to say, “Only a few individuals really requested to see the insurance policies and procedures,” and that they “in all probability might have” connected it to the registration kind, however athletes might simply ask to see it. Trubridge additional elaborated that an athlete asking to see the insurance policies could possibly be seen as a “piece of data” about that athlete.
After George offered the urine pattern, he and the DCO observed that the pattern was very clear. The DCO checked the urine particular gravity (a measurement of what number of particles are in an individual’s urine in contrast with water), and it got here again 1.002; the usual minimal for gathering urine for dope testing is 1.005. A urine particular gravity of 1.002 implies that urine is diluted, ensuing from consuming an excessive amount of fluids or a well being situation.
The DCO informed George that he should accumulate samples with a urine particular gravity of 1.005 and better, so he referred to as again the Government Director of the BADC. By this time, it was effectively after midnight, and the DCO informed her he needed to go away early. She directed him to get one other pattern; nevertheless, the DCO solely waited 5 minutes earlier than having George present the second pattern, exhibiting an similar urine particular gravity of 1.002. The DCO then concluded the pattern assortment course of and didn’t provide to take extra samples.
Observe: In line with WADA’s Worldwide Requirements for Testing and Investigations Annex F4.5, “The DCO shall proceed to gather extra Samples till the requirement for Appropriate Particular Gravity for Evaluation is met, or till the DCO determines that there are distinctive circumstances which imply it’s unimaginable to proceed with the Pattern Assortment Session. Such distinctive circumstances shall be documented accordingly by the DCO.” Nonetheless, no distinctive circumstances have been documented on George’s doping management supplementary report kind.
As soon as Vertical Blue 2023 started a few weeks later, George went on to carry out a 55m (180ft) dive in CNF (with no fins), 107m (351ft) in FIM (flattening and up a line), 114m (374ft) in CWT (with a monofin), and 117m (384ft) on a second CWT dive that turned a brand new North American Continental File.
Preliminary Outcomes of the Doping Management
One week after Vertical Blue 2023 concluded, Tory George acquired a cellphone name that will change every little thing.
AIDA USA reaches out to Tory George
It was on August 6, 2023, per week after Vertical Blue 2023’s conclusion, that AIDA USA President Ricardo Paris referred to as and defined to George, “I want I have been speaking to you below higher circumstances, however William referred to as, and one thing is occurring along with your drug take a look at.” George was shocked and bombarded Paris with questions: “What does this imply?” “How does this occur?” “Why is he calling you rather than me?” “Is that this the way it’s imagined to work?”
Paris informed George it was above his head however reassured him that he would stay neutral. Proper after the decision, George started calling William Trubridge repeatedly. He solely acquired a brief WhatsApp message in response: “Hey Tory, process is for notification to come back from AIDA, who have been first to be equipped with the outcomes of your take a look at. I’ve been at dinner, but it surely’s not applicable for me to reply your questions till you’ve been notified.” George discovered a lot later that the preliminary outcomes have been despatched to AIDA Worldwide, however the group by no means contacted him instantly.
George was left speechless. He didn’t perceive why the information of his take a look at consequence was being given to others earlier than he heard it, which is in opposition to the WADA Code Article 14.1.2 (“The Anti-Doping Group with Outcomes Administration accountability shall additionally notify the Athlete’s Nationwide Anti-Doping Group, Worldwide Federation and WADA of the assertion of an anti-doping rule violation concurrently with the discover to the Athlete or different Particular person.”) He additionally questioned why Trubridge, who had paid for the take a look at presumably. On the similar time, he was nonetheless a fellow competitor and was releasing the preliminary outcomes to his AIDA Nationwide president reasonably than to AIDA Worldwide itself.
In an interview with Trubridge, when requested about George’s preliminary outcomes communication, Trubridge informed me, “It was AIDA USA who contacted him [Tory George] concerning his optimistic consequence. Vertical Blue wasn’t concerned in informing the athlete themselves.”
Nonetheless, after I requested Paris how he acquired George’s preliminary outcomes, he talked about a special timeline. “I heard the information about Tory when official WADA ITA outcomes have been launched weeks after Vertical Blue. These outcomes are despatched to the athlete, the Nationwide ADA, and different WADA signatories,” he informed me. “I contacted Tory as a USA Freediving consultant to a USA athlete and a pal to supply assist. The conversations have been confidential, however his response turned very public by means of social media.”
Tory George will get the official notification
On August 10, 2023, 4 days after receiving Paris’s name about his outcomes, Tory George was formally given his preliminary outcomes by the Worldwide Testing Company (ITA). This impartial group manages anti-doping packages for Worldwide Federations, together with CMAS.
As per the above-mentioned Article 14.1.2 within the WADA Code, ITA Authorized notified George and USFF (the CMAS-affiliated U.S. Freediving Federation) of his preliminary doping management outcomes. Neither William Trubridge, AIDA Worldwide, nor AIDA USA was CC’d on that official electronic mail; the one events CC’d have been:
The preliminary outcomes confirmed that his urine samples yielded an Opposed Analytical Discovering (AAF). An AAF is a doping take a look at pattern that signifies the presence of a banned substance however will not be but deemed an ‘anti-doping rule violation (ADRV).’ George knowledgeable me that, in his case, a GC/C/IRMS (a take a look at used for the “evaluation of urinary steroids to detect illicit artificial testosterone use”) carried out on his urine pattern got here again optimistic, that means that the carbon isotope ratio was irregular.
George requested himself how this was doable. “I knew from this second that I must educate myself on the science greater than I had ever needed to if I used to be going to show my innocence.” He instantly started to research.
William Trubridge and AIDA USA Suggest Banning Substances and Athletes
Since CMAS is a WADA Code Signatory, an AAF meant that Tory George was routinely provisionally suspended from future CMAS competitions till his B pattern (the second pattern collected in a doping management) was examined or till a closing listening to occurred. Nonetheless, as AIDA Worldwide will not be but a Code Signatory, George’s AAF didn’t set off a provisional suspension from future AIDA competitions.
Nonetheless, that was quickly about to alter.
AIDA USA’s proposal for a particular vote
A couple of weeks later, George found that William Trubridge submitted a proposal for a particular vote by means of AIDA USA. In line with AIDA Statute 9.4.1, “A particular vote of the Meeting could also be referred to as for by…the written request to AIDA of not lower than twenty % of Members”. AIDA USA had gathered sufficient AIDA Member international locations to current Trubridge’s proposal to the AIDA Meeting.
This was the proposal’s wording:
In gentle of latest occasions, we suggest a right away Meeting vote for:
AIDA Worldwide so as to add benzodiazepines and sildenafil to the checklist of Efficiency Enhancing Medication (PEDs), and to henceforth ban any athletes utilizing and/or possessing these or every other recognized PEDs.
Moreover, AIDA Worldwide ought to acknowledge stories of latest violations (by 2 male Croatian athletes and 1 male US athlete at Vertical Blue included) of the WADA Anti-Doping Code 2.1 and a couple of.2 and implement provisional suspension as outlined within the Code till the results of investigations into these violations is concluded.
The latest anti-doping actions taken at Vertical Blue are the results of a number of years of stories on the usage of benzodiazepine, sildenafil and different drugs as PEDs. We want to expedite this vote as quickly as doable to ensure that AIDA Worldwide to take quick motion and impose a zero-tolerance coverage to fight dishonest and shield the rights of unpolluted athletes worldwide.
In abstract, the request was to:
- Instantly add benzodiazepines and sildenafil to AIDA’s checklist of performance-enhancing medicine.
- Implement the provisional suspensions of Vitomir Maricic, Petar Klovar, and Tory George, which might stop them from taking part within the thirty first AIDA Freediving World Championship, going down simply three weeks afterward September twenty first.
Referring again to the primary article of this sequence: In an interview with Trubridge, he knowledgeable me that sildenafil belonged below a VB Doping Management Coverage and Procedures doc class: “any prescription-only substance that enhances efficiency in apnea/freediving and for which the athlete doesn’t have a present prescription.” He went on to inform me, “Discovering it [sildenafil] within the baggage of the Croatians, we then did type of analysis on it, and there have been research that present that in common sport, it doesn’t do something, however in sports activities the place there may be hypoxia, reminiscent of endurance sports activities at altitude with low oxygen, that it does have a profit.”
Nonetheless, in response to his clarification, Vertical Blue employees didn’t contemplate sildenafil performance-enhancing till after they found it throughout the July 4th baggage search. That is inconsistent with the proposal’s assertion, “The latest anti-doping actions taken at Vertical Blue are the results of a number of years of stories on the usage of benzodiazepine, sildenafil, and different drugs as PEDs.”
I delve additional into the subject of benzodiazepines, sildenafil, and different substances suspected of being performance-enhancing for freediving within the third article of this sequence.
AIDA Worldwide’s Response to the Proposal
Modifying the AIDA PED checklist
In an interview, AIDA Worldwide President Sasa Jeremic (who started her presidential time period in 2024) and Vice President Yulia Maryevich acknowledged that they may not proceed with banning benzodiazepines and sildenafil instantly for a number of causes.
The primary was that the thirty first AIDA Freediving World Championship began simply 20 days after AIDA USA submitted William Trubridge’s proposal. AIDA Competitors Guidelines and Rules state that in part 14.1.1, AIDA Worldwide should ship all rules relevant to the occasion “to the Meeting and to all individuals accountable for the revered international locations no later than six months previous to the competitors.” Moreover, part 14.3.2 states that “the principles is probably not modified within the three months previous World Championships.”
AIDA Worldwide informed me that they did contact the lab that performs their doping management to ask them how they take a look at for benzodiazepines and sildenafil. Nonetheless, the lab responded that they didn’t have the capability to take action.
The second purpose Jeremic acknowledged for not continuing with banning benzodiazepines and sildenafil is that “members of the AIDA Meeting must be knowledgeable about what they’re voting for – they can not formulate opinions based mostly on public posts.” Since AIDA Worldwide’s accountability is to arrange competent data, they started partnering with Clear Sport, a not-for-profit group that organizes, performs, and manages doping controls. Nonetheless, Jeremic defined, “as no scientific research have been discovered, the vote remains to be into account.”
AIDA Worldwide’s President and Vice President additionally identified that “individuals with well being situations that have to be handled with medicines on the Prohibited Checklist are allowed to compete with TUE. If we ban prescribed drugs used to deal with these well being situations, we have to create a particular system to permit these freedivers to dive and nonetheless deal with their situations. Creating this particular system can not occur in two weeks or one month – it will possibly take years.”
Moreover, AIDA Worldwide’s Anti-Doping Supervisor and Clear Sport President, Professor Dr. Nenad Dikic, has acknowledged that “as a result of questions raised by the freediving group, we are going to attempt to conduct a examine with the antidoping laboratory from Vienna and show doable use or misuse [of benzodiazepines] in sports activities.”
Athlete Bans
Concerning banning athletes from the thirty first AIDA Freediving World Championship, AIDA Worldwide defined, “We didn’t ban Vitomir Maricic and Petar Klovar from competing as we have been knowledgeable about their detrimental doping take a look at findings. On the similar time, there was no proof of any ongoing course of in opposition to them for doping violations attributable to possession of banned substances.”
In the meantime, George’s case was completely different from Maricic’s and Klovar’s. AIDA Worldwide informed me George’s preliminary doping management outcomes made him ineligible to compete on the thirty first AIDA Freediving World Championships. The AIDA Board and Disciplinary Committee had already began making ready paperwork to ship to George after they acquired notification from AIDA USA concerning the particular vote. However then, simply sooner or later after proposing the particular vote to the AIDA Meeting, AIDA USA withdrew George’s title from the checklist of Workforce USA athletes for the upcoming World Championship.
Nobody notified George of his elimination from the US nationwide crew.
Tory George Prepares His Protection
As soon as Tory George turned conscious of Trubridge and AIDA USA’s proposed particular vote to the AIDA Meeting, he started gathering proof. He reached out on to 2023 AIDA Worldwide President Alexandru Russu, who requested him to place his protection right into a presentable format for the voting AIDA Member international locations to see earlier than casting their votes. So George created a PDF doc that included ‘9 elementary points that may exonerate me,’ which will be seen right here.
Beneath is a short abstract of George’s 9 points:
- A WADA anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) has not but occurred till a listening to has been performed and a verdict has been reached, but I’m being persecuted for an ADRV that hasn’t but occurred.
- The GC/C/IRMS take a look at can not precisely assess testosterone ranges in samples exhibiting low urine gravity; my urine gravity was 1.002, whereas the minimal acceptable urine gravity is 1.005.
- Just one Chain of Custody doc has been offered for my pattern, and important pattern storage data is lacking.
- There’s vital data lacking within the lab packets related to my samples.
- William Trubridge paid for the doping management administered to me and others to focus on particular people and illegally acquire outcomes.
- The doping management officer who administered my management had an expired ID.
- My testosterone ranges have been throughout the regular vary, and no metabolites have been present in my urine pattern.
- Whereas I’m contemplating a tainted dietary supplements protection, I face boundaries attributable to monetary constraints, demonstrating the difficulties athletes have in clearing their names.
- I’m formally difficult the jurisdiction CMAS has over my anti-doping proceedings.
AIDA USA Suspends Tory George’s Membership
Tory George arrived in Limassol, Cyprus, for the thirty first AIDA Freediving World Championship, unaware he had already been faraway from Workforce USA.
On September 5, 2023, simply two weeks earlier than the competitors begin date, AIDA Occasions emailed George, informing him that he should pay the competitors registration payment himself since he’s not part of Workforce USA (AIDA USA’s official freediving crew) and can’t profit from the subvention (monetary assist from AIDA Worldwide to official AIDA Nationwide crew members). George was shocked to listen to he was off the crew; he instantly emailed AIDA Occasions again, asking for clarification on AIDA USA’s resolution and if he might pay the registration payment the next week.
Then, on September 8, George emailed AIDA Occasions asking if he may gain advantage from the subvention if AIDA USA President Ricardo Paris confirmed he was nonetheless on Workforce USA. “I had not heard from Ricardo in any respect since our preliminary name in August, and I didn’t know why these selections have been being made with out notifying me alongside the way in which,” he informed me. “I used to be obliviously optimistic and thought if I might simply fill him in on all the main points I had gathered as much as that time, it could give him the total scope I used to be aware of, and we’d be on the identical web page.” Tory messaged Paris three weeks after the cellphone name to request communication however by no means acquired a response.
Whereas George waited for a solution from AIDA Occasions, he lastly managed to get a response from Paris. In a three-minute cellphone name, Paris knowledgeable George that, given CMAS’s actions and the way AIDA Worldwide was leaving them at nighttime, the AIDA USA Board felt they needed to do one thing. After Paris shortly ended the decision, George pleaded with him in an electronic mail to rearrange a gathering to debate the state of affairs additional. Paris informed George to let him know when his circumstances modified and stopped responding additional.
On September 13, 5 days after George requested AIDA Occasions about Paris affirming his Workforce USA membership, AIDA Occasions replied. In an electronic mail that had Paris CC’ed, AIDA Occasions informed George that if Paris confirmed his Workforce USA membership, he might nonetheless profit from the subvention.
However Paris’s electronic mail reply arrived simply 4 hours later, stating, “Tory George is on provisional suspension from AIDA USA and Workforce USA.”
Being provisionally suspended from Workforce USA meant that George must pay the registration payment for the competitors. Nonetheless, being provisionally suspended from AIDA USA had rather more profound implications.
Upon Paris’s reply, AIDA Occasions despatched George an electronic mail quoting part 4.1.3.2 of the AIDA Competitors Guidelines and Rules: “Every athlete needs to be a member of the AIDA Nationwide comparable to his/her citizenship (passport) if this Nationwide exists (if not, athletes could register in any Nationwide that’s an energetic Member of AIDA).” In line with this rule, he couldn’t compete on the thirty first AIDA Freediving World Championship except his AIDA USA membership was reinstated.
Though Trubridge and AIDA USA’s particular vote to the AIDA Meeting didn’t have an effect on the Croatian athletes’ participation within the World Championship, AIDA USA might nonetheless affect George as a US freediving athlete. “The particular vote that was imagined to occur didn’t, and now there was a loophole maintaining me from competing so long as AIDA USA continued to disregard my requests for communication,” George defined. “It felt extraordinarily calculated and, as soon as once more, like I used to be being focused.”
Tory George’s Tried Assembly with AIDA USA
Since AIDA USA President Ricardo Paris had stopped answering Tory George’s emails, texts, and WhatsApp messages requesting to current his protection, George was stunned when AIDA USA Vice President (who can be Vertical Blue’s Chief of Media) Francesca Koe reached out. She was additionally attending the thirty first AIDA Freediving World Championship as an Assistant Decide serving on the Jury.
AIDA USA Vice President Suggests a Assembly
On September 18th, Koe approached George within the competitors’s official lodge foyer to ask how he was doing. George had a couple of questions for Koe: “Why hasn’t anybody from AIDA USA referred to as me? Why didn’t anybody ask for something from me? Why wasn’t I notified that my membership was revoked?”
Koe prompt they struggle getting every little thing settled the following day. She informed George to carry Paris to her and schedule a gathering. This time, Paris answered George’s message requesting a gathering, and so they selected a web based assembly at 9 p.m. Cyprus time. George messaged Koe on WhatsApp in regards to the assembly time, and though the message was marked as acquired, he didn’t get a reply from her.
George sat within the foyer many of the day, making ready for his upcoming on-line assembly and gathering paperwork, whereas Koe was busy on the different finish of the room. However at 8:30 p.m., thirty minutes earlier than their scheduled assembly time, Koe went upstairs – to arrange for the assembly, George assumed.
Nonetheless, 9 p.m. got here and went, and though George messaged and referred to as Koe and Paris, nobody answered. “I felt justified, in a way, ready round all evening for a gathering that was by no means going to occur. I felt just like the longer I waited, the extra clear it turned that I used to be being deliberately averted.” He waited till midnight earlier than giving up.
The following morning, Koe lastly messaged George again, saying she had duties and conferences, after which went to sleep. Nonetheless, she talked about she would join with Paris later when she might. In the meantime, Paris informed George he hadn’t acquired a name however that they may name the following day, September twenty first.
However for George, it could be too late the following day — it was September twentieth, and the competitors registration deadline was that night.
AIDA Board Makes an attempt Mediation
George was stunned that Koe prompt the assembly, however then each she and Paris appeared to have averted him. “I had no intention of getting a gathering with AIDA USA – I didn’t suppose that was an choice, and even on the desk, after having been averted each time I reached out,” he informed me. “I used to be nice taking on my complaints with AIDA Worldwide and looking for an answer there.”
George stayed within the lodge foyer for eight hours, talking to completely different AIDA Board members and exhibiting them that AIDA USA wasn’t prepared to fulfill with him. Ultimately, a number of of the Board members pulled Koe into a gathering to see if she would reverse AIDA USA’s resolution to revoke George’s AIDA USA membership.
George talked about that though he confirmed her the proof he had been gathering within the assembly, Koe didn’t participate within the dialog and hardly commented on the matter. There could be no change in Tory’s AIDA USA revoked membership standing.
I reached out to Paris for remark. “AIDA Worldwide didn’t take motion,” he informed me. “USA Freediving helped arrange a petition by a number of AIDA Nationals to have an AIDA Worldwide vote concerning PEDs and athlete suspensions. AIDA Worldwide ignored the trouble so the vote by no means went to members. The USA Freediving Board made the choice to provisionally droop Tory based mostly on the take a look at outcomes.”
Francesca Koe didn’t reply to my request for remark.
George didn’t compete on the thirty first AIDA Freediving World Championships, and his standing stays unsure till his doping management proceedings are resolved. Within the meantime, he has filed a proper grievance in opposition to AIDA USA to the AIDA Disciplinary Committee and awaits their judgment.
What Occurs Subsequent?
As of July 10, 2024, Tory George remains to be awaiting testing of his B pattern. That is the following step within the doping management course of after an Opposed Analytical Discovering (AAF) preliminary consequence in response to the Worldwide Requirements for Outcomes Administration 2023.
If an athlete’s B pattern exams detrimental after their A pattern produces an Opposed Analytical Discovering (AAF), the athlete could possibly be cleared of doping allegations.
Nonetheless, if the B pattern additionally exams optimistic, confirming the preliminary preliminary consequence, the athlete is notified and is given a brief deadline to supply or complement an evidence. The athlete can even select to confess to an anti-doping rule violation and could also be granted a one-year discount of their interval of ineligibility to compete. After both of those situations, the Outcomes Administration Authority fees the athlete with committing an anti-doping rule violation and lists relevant penalties.
If charged with an anti-doping rule violation, the athlete could have the chance to current their case in a listening to. In a listening to, the Outcomes Administration Authority brings the cost ahead earlier than a listening to panel, which decides if the proof meets the required normal of proof.
As soon as the listening to is full and a choice is made, the athlete and/or anti-doping group could have the correct to attraction the choice.
Temporary Abstract
On July 4, 2023, in Lengthy Island, Bahamas, two weeks earlier than the non-public freediving competitors Vertical Blue 2023 commenced, US freediving athlete Tory George was knowledgeable that he wanted to endure an official doping management. Upon arrival on the doping management station, he grew suspicious after noticing the doping management officer’s expired ID badge and studying that the management was being privately funded. Regardless of considerations, George offered a urine pattern, which had a low urine-specific gravity. After a subsequent pattern yielded the identical consequence, George left and went on to take part within the competitors, finally setting a brand new Continental File for North America.
Following Vertical Blue 2023, George acquired a name from AIDA USA President Ricardo Paris concerning his July 4th doping management. Shocked that Paris had the outcomes earlier than him, George formally acquired his preliminary outcomes 4 days later in an electronic mail from the Worldwide Testing Company (ITA), an impartial group that manages anti-doping packages on behalf of Worldwide Federations, together with CMAS). The e-mail indicated that the testing carried out on his pattern resulted in an Opposed Analytical Discovering (a doping take a look at pattern that signifies the presence of a banned substance however will not be but deemed an ‘anti-doping rule violation’).
AIDA USA, on behalf of William Trubridge, proposed a particular vote to the AIDA Meeting banning benzodiazepines and sildenafil whereas in search of provisional suspensions for athletes Vitomir Maricic, Petar Klovar, and Tory George. Nonetheless, AIDA Worldwide cited competitors guidelines stopping adjustments inside three months of competitors; it additionally consulted with the anti-doping group Clear Sport, discovering inadequate scientific information on the proposed substances. The proposed vote remains to be pending.
In a transfer by AIDA USA, George’s membership was revoked per week earlier than the thirty first AIDA Freediving World Championships. Regardless of George’s makes an attempt to current a protection doc, AIDA USA President Ricardo Paris and AIDA USA Vice President (and Vertical Blue’s Chief of Media) Francesca Koe set a gathering, however neither confirmed up. When members of the AIDA Worldwide Board introduced Koe right into a last-minute assembly, Koe refused to reinstate George’s membership.
George’s standing stays unsure till the ultimate phases of the doping management course of conclude. The ultimate phases embrace testing of his B pattern, a listening to course of, and a choice, which he and/or ITA could have the correct to attraction.
Last Ideas
This controversy across the Vertical Blue 2023 baggage search and doping controls has raised many questions on correct procedures, athlete rights, and the standing of various substances as potential efficiency enhancers in freediving. Whereas the state of affairs with Tory George stays unresolved, it highlights the vital significance of getting clear, constant anti-doping insurance policies and processes that respect athlete rights whereas upholding honest competitors.
Some key questions are left to think about:
- Had been Tory George’s rights as an athlete violated by means of lack of correct notification, inconsistent procedures, or predetermined therapy based mostly on suspicion reasonably than proof? How can athlete rights be higher protected transferring ahead?
- Is there adequate scientific proof to ban substances like benzodiazepines and sildenafil as performance-enhancing medicine particularly for the game of freediving? What standards must be used to find out if a substance offers an unfair aggressive benefit?
- What’s the applicable function and oversight for personal occasion organizers like Vertical Blue versus official governing our bodies like AIDA and CMAS in terms of doping management and outcomes administration? How can a transparent separation of obligations be maintained?
The story of the Vertical Blue 2023 baggage search and doping management highlights the significance of getting complete, evidence-based anti-doping programs that shield clear athletes and aggressive integrity whereas respecting athlete rights. Resolving these points would require collaboration amongst athletes, occasion organizers, governing our bodies, and scientific consultants.
In my subsequent article titled “Freediving Doping Controversy Half 3: Analyzing the Medication in Query,” I examine the doable performance-enhancing talents of the substances by means of scientific research and seek the advice of medical professionals on the doable use of furosemide in freediving.
