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Quads promoted after Samulenkova is banned for two years Earlier today, Britain's women's quad were told some astonishing news, which rather made their Monday. FISA announced this afternoon that Russia's 2006 world champion W4x have been disqualified following bow-woman Olga Samulenkova's ban from rowing for two years for a positive drugs test. The test was performed on a sample taken out of competition on 23rd July 2006, and showed positive for exogenous testosterone metabolites - a direct indicator of a competitor having taken testosterone artificially, rather than suffering from naturally inflated levels. Samulenkova's positive resulted in her suspension from competition on 26th September, and the B-sample positive was confirmed in November. The ban, applied by FISA's Doping Hearing Panel this morning, is backdated to 23rd July, so disqualifies any crew Samulenkova was in between then and September - including at the world championships. The upshot, of course, is that the three crews who finished behind them in the final on August 27th, 2006, are promoted. Fourth-placed Germany take bronze, Australia are promoted to silver medallists, and Britain's quartet regain the world title they thought they lost that day. "It's surreal", said stroke Katherine Grainger about an hour after hearing the news. "It still hasn't really sunk in. I've taken four months to get used to being a silver medallist, and now I'm a champion again. And I haven't even been in a boat since we heard." Grainger and her 2006 crewmates Fran Houghton, Sarah Winckless and Debbie Flood were training together in the gym earlier this afternoon when chief coach Paul Thompson called them out for a brief chat. "We thought it was one of his Aussie jokes for a moment", says Grainger. Thompson himself is thrilled, but also saddened by the way his crew have gained the win. "It's always a sadness to have someone test positive, we have no room for cheats in this sport." Talking about his quad, he added "They've been cheated out of the opportunity to stand on the podium as champions in front of that fantastic crowd at Eton, that year." August 27th was probably the the most painful day of the British quad's careers. Fractionally ahead coming into the last stage of the race, and starting to move, they were passed by a sudden push from Russia which none of the British scullers saw in time to counter. A day after the GBR M4- had consolidated their reputations with a second consecutive gold - and on home water - the quad's hopes to join them in the joyous headlines were dashed within a few harsh strokes. Numb disbelief pervaded the medal ceremony, combined with tears as the result slowly sank in. Typically, they have turned the agony into a positive, one aspect which Grainger noted with wry irony after hearing today's news. "We've spent the last four months learning how much we didn't want to lose, and training with that intensity", she said. "Now we're world champions again, and history has been changed. It's sad they took our day, but it could happen any time. I can't imagine of that was the Olympics - such a numb feeling." David Tanner, the British team manager and performance director, spoke with concern about what this might mean for rowing. "I never doubted there was a chance [drug-taking] was happening out there. It's not good for the sport at all. But it's good we have an anti-doping regime getting into these things: perhaps this will be a warning sign to any individuals or teams out there who think of doing it. It's great for our girls in one sense, but you can't put the clock back. It's a funny way to win a gold but I'm all in favour of them." The future looks intense for the British women, whatever happens. Four scullers - Annie Vernon, Anna Bebington, Elise Laverick and Katherine Grainger - have produced PBs in their recent erg tests, and competition is increasing for those top four seats. Thompson feels two sculling medals are not out of reach this year. The ramifications of the medal change will continue to spread. For Germany and Australia, a similar boost to mid-training morale, much needed as they fight for selection with months to go before this year's international regattas. For Britain, some odd outcomes. They're now going to be called defending world champions once more, but without having won the race which mattered most to them. Russia have to give the golds back, and no doubt the new medallists will receive the right ones in due course. The 2006 worlds medal table alters slightly: Germany and Australia still first and second in the able-bodied events, but Britain moving up a place to fourth. There may be performance bonuses in the pipeline for those who have now done better than they expected, not to mention the chance of increased funding. And as well as updating their results database, FISA should probably revise their top ten women list, since this promotion hoicks Grainger up to fourth from tenth. But the person with the biggest headache of all this week is David Tanner. Not only does he have to revise the speeches for Saturday's British International Rowing annual dinner, but there is the little matter of several hundred programmes, currently showing W4x: silver, to correct. Copyright Rachel Quarrell, 2007. |