Swimming: Lawyers called over private drug test

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Swimming New Zealand is taking legal advice before contemplating any action against a second swimmer who has appar- ently returned a positive test to the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone.

The swimmer, who undertook a "private" test - apparently in the hope of supporting Trent Bray who returned a positive in an out of competition test late last year - has not been named but was a former member of Bray's Roskill club.

Swimming New Zealand president Phil Pritchard is adamant that if the swimmer is identified and is likely to compete in a SNZ-sanctioned event, the association will insist on a formal New Zealand Sports Drug Agency test.

"We want to review where we are at," said Pritchard. "If we get any information we will act on it. The test was not conducted by the NZSDA. It was not sanctioned by us. It was unauthorised and really means very little.

"We do not know who the swimmer is but, like others, have heard a fair amount of speculation."

Bray returned the positive test but had a likely four-year ban quashed when he successfully appealed the validity of containers used [by the NZSDA] for the test and for the length of time taken between the collection of the sample and the time it was tested at the Sydney laboratory.

The NZSDA has since appealed the court's decision. That appeal will be heard next month.