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Japanese sprinter banned for 8 years over sabotaging rival’s doping test

Wednesday, 10 January 2018 9:10 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 10 January 2018 9:10 AM ]

In this file picture, Japan's Yasuhiro Suzuki competes in the men's single kayak race at the 16th Asian Games in Shanwei, China. (Photo by AP)

A top Japanese canoe sprinter has been banned for eight years, disqualifying him from the Tokyo Olympics, for lacing his rival's drink with a prohibited drug which caused him to fail a doping test.

The Japan Anti-Doping Agency said on Tuesday that Yasuhiro Suzuki was banned for putting an anabolic steroid into the drink bottle of his rival at a national championship in September.

Seiji Komatsu, unaware of the content, took the drink and was disqualified after testing positive to the drug.

The Japan Canoe Federation said Komatsu's suspension and records that had been stripped have been restored. Canoeing officials apologized over the incident ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The two had been considered among the top candidates to represent Japan in the Tokyo Games.

(Source: The Associated Press)

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