Peter Bol has been exonerated with Sport Integrity Australia revealing his drug test was a false positive

The investigation into Peter Bol is now over with the middle-distance champion exonerated after his failed drug test was declared a false positive.

Peter Bol has been exonerated with Sport Integrity Australia revealing he’d received a false positive.

The investigation into Australia’s middle-distance champion is now over with Bol told WADA would review the EPO testing process which threatened to ruin his career.

Bol posted a message on social media on Tuesday morning revealing the good news: “Good morning Australia.

“I have been exonerated. It was a false positive like I have said all along! The news from Sport Integrity Australia today was a dream come true.

“I am glad that WADA has agreed to review the EPO testing process to prevent future false positives. No one should ever experience what I’ve gone through this year.

“My focus now is the world athletics championships coming up in Hungary. I am in good form and feeling well.”

Bol’s life was thrown into chaos in January when he was informed he returned a positive test for EPO the previous October while staying with his family in Perth.

Peter Bol has been exonerated after his failed drug test was a false positive. Picture: Michael Klein

He immediately proclaimed his innocence but was provisionally suspended.

That ban was lifted a month later when the B-sample of the test came back inconclusive which allowed him to return to training and racing.

However, Sport Integrity Australia continued to investigate Bol, retesting samples and combing through every part of his life.

The stress of the situation had the Tokyo Olympic finalist on the brink of ending his season but last month he ventured to Europe where he qualified for the 800m at the world championships in Budapest, which start on August 19.

A statement from Sport Integrity Australia revealed they had used different laboratories and various experts from the World Anti Doping Authority to analyse Bol’s A and B blood samples.

They found the A sample should have been a negative.

“The further analysis resulted in varying expert opinions as to the positive or negative reporting of the sample, and the A sample was reported as negative,” the SIA statement said.

“As a result, Sport Integrity Australia have taken the decision not to progress an anti-doping rule violation for this sample. The investigation into this sample is finalised.”

Bol will now focus on the world athletics championships. Picture: Michael Klein

Athletics Australia has expressed its “dismay” at the testing process which Bol was exposed to and has demanded answers from WADA and SIA.

“Peter Bol has been cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to his out-of-competition test from October 2022,” the statement said.

“While this comes as good news for the Australian athletics community, the matter has exposed several serious questions about how EPO is analysed by WADA accredited labs.

“Above all, Athletics Australia would like to express its full support of Peter and also its dismay that an innocent athlete has had his integrity put into question. Athletics Australia remains focussed on Peter’s wellbeing as well as Australia’s other elite track and field athletes aiming for the Budapest World Athletics Championships this month.

“Peter Bol and every other high-performance athlete deserves clear and transparent answers to ensure this doesn’t happen again. We encourage Sport Integrity Australia and WADA to provide those answers.”

WADA is now reviewing its testing processes for EPO in light of the complicated and disappointing Bol situation.

“It is important to highlight that the analysis for synthetic EPO is a unique process which is different to how other prohibited substances are identified,” the SIA statement read.

“Athletes in Australia should have confidence in the anti-doping system that has allowed Sport Integrity Australia to conduct a thorough investigation.

“A review and strengthening of the EPO review process by WADA is an indication of good governance structures in place.

“Sport Integrity Australia will now await outcomes of the WADA review of the EPO review process.

“Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges the significant public interest in this outcome. However, Sport Integrity Australia is required to comply with its obligations under the World Anti-Doping Code and its international standards, and our legislative requirements, and cannot make any further comment in relation to the matter.”