AUSTRALIA: SYDNEY OLYMPICS: BAUMANN

Описание: (18 Sep 2000) German/Nat
XFA
An arbitration panel has upheld the two-year suspension of former Olympic 5,000-metre champion Dieter Baumann of Germany.

The International Amateur Athletic Federation panel rejected Baumann's defence that someone spiked his toothpaste with a precursor to the anabolic steroid nandrolone.

Baumann argued he was a target for tampering because of his past strong anti-doping remarks, which often were aimed at athletes from the former East Germany.

Dieter Baumann's whereabouts were left unclear on Monday as the head of Germany's track and field federation took up his defence in Sydney.

The federation's case rests on two arguments.

The first is that Baumann had his toothpaste tampered with, a claim ignored by the I-A-A-F.

The second, which again failed to cut any ice, was that German law should be applied in this case.

That would allow reasonable doubt to quash the verdict.

SOUNDBITE: (German)
"We pointed out to them that under German law the principle of strict liability doesn't exist,s and therefore should not be used in this case. This was rejected especially by the IAAF."
SUPER CAPTION: Manfred Diegel, Track and Field Chief, German Federation

Baumann, who tested positive for nandrolone in October and November, had appealed against the suspension.

To back up his defence, he presented a tube of toothpaste he said he was using at that time that was found to contain traces of a precursor to Nandrolone.

On his Web site, Baumann offered 130,000 U-S dollars to anyone who could provide information on who spiked his toothpaste.

SOUNDBITE: (German)
"It's not clear from the ruling whether Dieter Baumann had ample opportunity to prove his innocence, that the toothpaste could have been contaminated without his knowledge."
SUPER CAPTION: Manfred Diegel, Track and Field Chief, German Federation

Baumann had hoped to be reinstated in time to compete in his fourth Olympics when the 5,000 preliminaries are held in nine days' time.

His lawyer said he planned to take the case to an I-O-C arbitration board in a last-ditch attempt to clear Baumann to run in Sydney.

Baumann is suspended for two years from the date of his hearing, meaning he will be eligible to compete again on September 16 2002.

It would appear there is little his supporters can do now other than make public appeals for reconsideration of his case.

SOUNDBITE: (German)
"When an athlete is not himself part of the case, but the ruling concerns him and he is affected, we are of the opinion and the law of New South Wales agrees, that this is not acceptable."
SUPER CAPTION: Manfred Diegel Track and Field Chief, German Federation

The German Athletic Federation reinstated Baumann on July 13.

The federation's legal committee ruled that there was reasonable doubt as to whether Baumann ingested the banned substance intentionally or accidentally.

They also found irregularities in the transfer and storage of Baumann's urine samples.

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