De Bruin says she will sue FINA for `blatant attempt' to ruin career

Michelle de Bruin says she will sue FINA, swimming's international governing body, for "significant damages" for a "blatant and mischievous" attempt to ruin her career in the sport.

FINA was engaging in a deliberate effort to ensure that she did not represent Ireland at any further international swimming meets, in particular the Sydney Olympics, Ms de Bruin told a packed press conference in Dublin yesterday.

"I will prove my innocence at the end of the day in this matter. I believe the decision which has been made by FINA is flawed not only on the facts but also legally. Unfortunately, I know now in my heart and soul that a total vindication in this case will not retract the damage that has been done to me by FINA in respect of an offence that I did not commit."

Once more Ms de Bruin protested her innocence of the charge of manipulating a urine sample taken during a doping test.

"I have always represented my country with pride. I have never cheated or lied and I haven't lied in this case either," she said.

The conference was held in the Liffeyside offices of her legal representatives, Lennon Heather and Company. Ms de Bruin was flanked by her solicitor, Mr Peter Lennon, and her husband, Mr Erik de Bruin.

Asked by journalists whether she felt FINA was pursuing a vendetta against her, she nodded in the direction of her husband and said: "I'm married to this man". Asked if that could be a motive, she said: "Some people think it's motive enough."

Mr de Bruin declined to answer questions, saying it was not his press conference.

For more than an hour, Mr Lennon and a composed Ms de Bruin read out prepared statements and then fielded questions from Irish and British reporters.

Ms de Bruin denied a rumour that her marriage was breaking up, admitted her family was very upset at the judgment and expressed a hope that she would still be able to resume competitive swimming and compete in the next Olympics.

"I love swimming. It's my life, and that's why I`m fighting for my reputation. It has been suggested by a number of you [journalists] that myself and my husband should now quietly disappear and in some way apologise for having carried out a gross fraud on the Irish people and that I should not be allowed involve myself with young persons and with swimming in the future."

Ms de Bruin said she found these suggestions particularly distasteful given that she had never tested positive for any banned substance.

She pointed out that the documentation showed that she had been subjected to more out-of-competition doping control tests than any other swimmer worldwide.

She added: "In FINA's mind it is clearly acceptable to use cocaine or marijuana or to take a known identified masking agent for a banned substance as against physically manipulating a sample, the manipulation of which has had no effect on the ability of FINA to carry out an analysis."

Ms de Bruin said the head of the laboratory which tested her samples had stated that there were problems with the Versa Pak sample kits. "He knew that the doping samples could be opened and he told us how to do it. Apparently you can do it in 10 or 15 seconds by popping the Versa Pak in boiling water, and then it's open."

Asked how it was that the doping testers had smelled alcohol in her home when they came to administer the test last January, Ms De Bruin said she did not know.

"What I would say is that the doping control officers have significant powers in a case like this, and where they believe an athlete may be trying to evade a test they have the right to stop the test. That was not done; there was never any question raised."

At this point, Mr Lennon interjected to say that FINA had disregarded the statement of its own doping control officials.

The swimmer said she hoped the Irish people would now get a balanced argument and see that her case was not a straightforward one.

When it was pointed out that the testing laboratory had not lost a single case before, Ms de Bruin replied: "Maybe it has never been challenged in this way before."