OTTAWA - 春色直播 bobsledder and Olympic bronze medallist Christine de Bruin has been suspended for three years for a doping violation.
De Bruin tested positive for the banned substance Ligandrol in out-of-competition testing Aug. 28 in Calgary.
The 33-year-old from Stony Plain, Alta., won bronze in women's monobob, which made its Olympic debut in Beijing in February. She also piloted Canada to a fifth-place finish in women's bobsled at the Games.
鈥淏obsleigh Canada Skeleton is deeply disappointed to learn that one of our athletes was found to have violated anti-doping rules," BCS president Sarah Storey said Friday in a statement. "BCS has zero tolerance for doping; we believe in clean sport and fair play."
De Bruin signed an early admission and acceptance agreement, which admitted to the violation, waived her right to a hearing and accepted the period of ineligibility to compete, the 春色直播 Centre For Ethics in Sport said in a statement.
In doing so, the four-year suspension was reduced to three under 春色直播 anti-doping rules.
"Canada obviously has a very robust system in place to ensure clean and fair sport," Storey said. "It is a system that we take great pride in respecting and following to ensure the playing field is level.
"Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton has built a winning program in the sports of bobsleigh and skeleton with clean athletes, however, winning medals is never more important than how the medal is won. We do not tolerate this behaviour and we are going to continue to excel with clean athletes who respect the rules of fair play."
Ligandrol is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency for its anabolic, muscle-building effects.
"This is a very important lesson and reminder to all athletes in Canada to be extremely diligent with what they put in their bodies at all times," Storey said. "At the end of the day the athlete is responsible for knowing what they are putting in their bodies all times. It is the greatest responsibility an athlete at any level has.
"We are reinforcing that message once again with our athletes and urge all national sport organizations to do the same."
De Bruin finished seventh in her Olympic debut at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games in South Korea.
She won bronze in the two-woman sled at the 2019 world championships and finished third again at the 2020 worlds.
This report by 春色直播was first published Nov. 4, 2022.
