INDONESIA: HEARING SET FOR SIGIT STEROID USE

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November 12, 1998 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - A committee of the International Badminton Federation will conduct a hearing on the positive drug test results of world men's doubles champion Sigit Budiarto of Indonesia on Monday, November 16, in Singapore. Budiarto will attend the hearing together with Agus Wiradikusumah, an executive officer of the Indonesian badminton association, and Michael Triangto, the medical officer of the Indonesian association.

A urine sample taken from Budiarto after the Singapore Open in August tested positive for the steroid Nandrolone. The results of the testing of the second urine sample taken at the same time have not yet been disclosed. Nandrolone is on the Olympic Games list of banned substances.

Because of the positive test result, Budiarto faces a maximum two-year suspension from badminton competition as well as the loss of a 14,400 US dollar yearly training grant from the International Olympic Committee's Solidarity program. A suspension for that length of time will mean that Budiarto will not be able to qualify for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

According to a source close to several Indonesian internationals, they believe that Budiarto was not aware that a dietary supplement he was taking in order to gain weight contained a steroid. They are hopeful that the committee of the badminton federation will give Budiarto a shorter suspension because he did not knowingly take the banned substance.

(lpp/ds)

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