Greek swimmer tests positive for banned steroid

Greece could be minus its top swimmer and weightlifting team at the Beijing Olympics in August.

The Hellenic Swimming Federation said Wednesday that tests on a backup "B" sample from Ioannis Drymonakos came back positive for methyltrienolone — a banned steroid and the same one for which 11 Greek weightlifters have tested positive.

"The athlete, after the latest developments, is withdrawing from swimming and reserves the right to exercise all legal rights to safeguard his honour and reputation," Drymonakos's lawyer, Stavros Mavromatis, said in a written statement Wednesday.

The federation said the test on Drymonakos was conducted March 6, and that the athlete "and anyone else involved in the case" will be called to a disciplinary hearing on May 28. He could face a two-year ban.

Mavromatis added the swimmer, who is ranked second in the world in the 200-metre butterfly and holds the European record in the event, "never knowingly took or considered taking banned substances."

The lawyer said the steroid was "particularly toxic and placed [Drymonakos'] health in immediate danger."

Mavromatis said the swimmer had been taking food supplements, but did not know if they might have contained banned substances.

"He doesn't want to point the finger at anyone. That is clear," said Mavromatis of Drymonakos. "But on the other hand, he categorically states that, 'I have not knowingly taken anything.' "

Last week, the national swimming federation had said an initial positive result for a Greek swimmer had come from an out-of-competition test by the country's national anti-doping council. It did not name the athlete.

On Tuesday, a Greek prosecutor filed misdemeanour charges against 25 people after 11 of the team's 14 weightlifters tested positive for a banned substance during a spot doping check in March.

Nine misdemeanour charges were laid against those involved, including the 11 athletes and their coaching and medical team.