Irish sprinter Steven Colvert has been forced to withdraw from the Irish team for the European Championships after failing a drugs test.
The Mullingar athlete's A sample tested positve for EPO, a banned substance used primarily by long distance runners as a performance enhancer. EPO boosts the number of red blood cells which results increases endurance levels.
Colvert is best known for narrowly missing out on qualification for the 200m at the 2012 London Olympics. He finished with a time of 20.57 seconds, just two hundreths of a second shy of making the cut for the games.
The Westmeath man claims to not know how the test returned positive and is now looking to get his B sample tested to prove his innocence. The DCU student will remain out of the Ireland team for the championships in Tallinn unless the B test comes back negative. He was due to represent Ireland in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at the tournament.
The sprinter is staring down the barrel of a two year ban from competing unless the B sample returns with a different result.
Hat tip: Irish Examiner and Feidhlim Kelly
