End of Olympic dream for banned Schoeman

The 39-year-old, who won three medals at the 2004 Olympics, tests positive for a banned substance

Roland Schoeman in the Men 50m LC freestyle Semi Final during day 6 of the SA National Aquatic Championships 2016 at Kings Park Aquatic Centre on April 15, 2016 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Steve Haag/Gallo Images)

One of South Africa’s most decorated swimmers, veteran sprinter Roland Schoeman is likely to miss out on this year’s Tokyo Olympics after being suspended from competition.

Schoeman, who earned gold (4x100m freestyle), silver (100m freestyle) and bronze (50m freestyle) medals at the 2004 Athens Games, had tested positive for a banned substance (a hormone and metabolic modulator) in May last year and was sidelined for 12 months, global body Fina confirmed on Thursday.

Though the 39-year-old freestyle ace would be eligible to compete again more than two months before the Tokyo Olympics were set to begin in July, he was unlikely to be considered for a spot in the South African team as he would not be allowed to turn out at the national trials in Durban in April, which was a prerequisite for selection to the SA squad.

A multiple former world champion and world record holder in the long-course and short-course formats, Schoeman turned out at four successive editions of the Olympics between 2000 and 2012, but he had not qualified for the 2016 Rio Games.

For more sport your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.