British bronze medal skier tests positive

Olympic bronze medal skier Alain Baxter has tested positive for the banned substance methamphetamine.

Olympic bronze medal skier Alain Baxter has tested positive for the banned substance methamphetamine.

The British Olympic Association were informed of the positive test on March 1st and today issued a statement on behalf of the Scottish slalom medallist.

In the statement, Baxter said: "Late on Friday afternoon I was telephoned by Simon Clegg, Team GB's Chef de Mission, who told me that he had been advised by the IOC's Inquiry Commission that the sample I had produced following my slalom performance at the games contained traces of a banned substance. Naturally I am devastated by this news".

The Scot said in the statement: "I have therefore decided to make public that I am the athlete in question because I have never knowingly taken any medicine or substance to improve my performance and as such believe that I am entirely innocent.

READ MORE

"I am now working with lawyers and medical experts to present my case to the IOC's inquiry commission (and the IOC's disciplinary commission), which I am advised is unlikely to convene until next week, with a view to defending myself successfully against the charges of doping," the statement said.

"I do not intend to conduct my defence through the media and as such I am not making myself available for interview and will not be making any further statement on this matter until the IOC's inquiry and disciplinary commissions have ruled on my case".

PA