Sprinter Steven Colvert of the Crusaders club in Dublin has failed a drugs test.
Colvert tested positive for EPO, a drug that boosts endurance, on May 20. He gave both blood and urine samples with the positive result only showing up in the urine test.
The 23-year-old DCU law student says he is “flabbergasted” by the positive test and is strenuously maintaining his innocence. With the result of the B test still to come, he says he is willing to undertake further testing and will co-operate in any way possible with the Irish Sports Council.
Colvert ran his 200m best of 20.57 secs in 2012, just .02 off the London Olympics qualifying mark and the third fastest Irish time ever. He ran a wind assisted 20.40 secs to win the national title that year. His best for 100m was 10.35 secs.
Last season, he had struggled with injury. He changed coaches, moving from John Coghlan to John Shields, and started working on his strength and conditioning with John Cleary. His best times for the season so far are 10.58 secs for 100m and 20.90 secs for 200m – well off his best.
Colvert was due to run in both the 100m and 200m at the European Team Championships in Tallin this weekend. David Hynes (100m) and Marcus Lawler (200m) will replace him, while long jumper Adam McMullen is added to the 4x100m relay squad. Also withdrawing from the team is Richard Morrissey, like Colvert a member of Crusaders, who was selected for the 4x400m squad.
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