“Russian Swimming Medalist Disqualified for Doping Violation”

The Russian medalist of the World Cup in swimming was disqualified for doping

A 21-year-old athlete was found to have a banned stimulant that used to be derived from geraniums and can now be found in many nutritional supplements.

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Russian bronze medalist of the 2021 World Swimming Championships in short course Alexander Zhigalov received a two-year ban for doping, reported on the website of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).

The banned stimulant 5-methylhexane-2-amine (MHA) was found in a 21-year-old athlete’s sample. The athlete’s suspension will end on May 25, 2024.

MHA used to be derived from geranium, but is now produced synthetically. The drug was developed in the 1940s for nasal congestion and is now found in dietary and nutritional supplements.

How notes Portal SwimSwam, shortly before the report of Zhigalov’s positive test, the All-Russian Swimming Federation published a warning about the use of any nutritional supplements.

Brassist Zhigalov is the 2019 world junior champion in the men’s combined relay and vice-champion in the mixed relay, seven-time European junior champion.

Zhigalov became the second Russian junior World Cup medalist to be suspended for doping over the past year. In October, 18-year-old Alexandra Sabitova was disqualified for two years for the diuretic furosemide.