Ms. Vita Palamar is a Ukrainian Athlete competing in the Women’s high jump event at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
In 2016, the IOC decided to perform further analyses on certain samples collected during the 2008 Olympic Games. These additional analyses were performed with analytical methods which were not available in 2008.
In July 2016 the International Olympic Committee reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Athlete after her 2008 A and B samples tested positive for the prohibited substance dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (turinabol).
After notification the Athlete filed a statement in her defence and did not attend the hearing of the IOC Disciplinary Commission.
In her submission the Athlete denied having used performance-enhacing substances. As an explanation for the presence of the Prohibited Substance, she raised the hypothesis that the substance may have been contained in food supplements or in medications.
The Commission finds that the Athlete does not bring forth any element challenging the validity of the analytical results and concludes that the Athlete has committed an anti-doping rule violation consistent with intentional use of a prohibited substance specifically ingested to deliberately improve performance. The fact that the metabolite of a doping substance, which is a “classical” doping substance, was found, supports this consideration.
Therefore the IOC Disciplinary Commission decides on 10 November 2016 that the Athlete, Vita Palamar:
1.) is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008 (presence and/or use, of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in an athlete’s bodily specimen),
2.) is disqualified from the Women’s high jump event in which she participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008,
3.) has the diploma obtained in the Women’s high jump event withdrawn and is ordered to return the same.
4.) The IAAF is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence.
5.) The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine shall ensure full implementation of this decision.
6.) The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine shall notably secure the return to the IOC, as soon as possible, of the diploma awarded in connection with the Women’s high jump event to the Athlete.
7.) This decision enters into force immediately.
