Gareth Warburton, who was due to compete in the 800m at the Commonwealth Games, has protested his innocence after being provisionally suspended for an anti-doping violation.
The Welshman, who finished fourth in the 2010 Games in Delhi and represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics, said it was “a great shock” to have tested positive for an unnamed prohibited substance. “I would like to state that I have not knowingly taken any banned substance,” he said. “As a professional athlete, I have always supported and have been an advocate of clean sport. Nothing has changed in this regard.
“However, I recognise that the responsibility for this situation lies with me and I’m committed to working with UK Anti-Doping and will fully cooperate in the legal process.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to wish the best to all my team-mates heading to the Commonwealth Games and apologise that I won’t be able to join them as part of Team Wales.”
The 31-year-old from Caernarfon has the opportunity to respond to the charges and to have those charges determined at a full hearing before the National Anti-Doping Panel.
The UK Anti-Doping Agency, which is handling Warburton’s case, confirmed that he was presumed innocent until the charges were upheld.
In a statement, it said: “The athlete has the opportunity to respond to the charges against him and to have those charges determined at a full hearing before the National Anti-Doping Panel.
“He is presumed innocent unless and until the charges brought against him have been upheld. UK Anti-Doping will not be making any further comment.”
Warburton won a silver medal in the 4x400m relay at the European Indoor Championships in 2005 and it was thought that his best days were behind him. Last month, however, he ran 1:46.75 – a season’s best and the third fastest time by a British athlete this year.
Brian Davies, the head of Team Wales, insisted they had worked closely with UK Anti-Doping to give athletes the best education about supplements.
“Team Wales is committed to providing athletes with the necessary education required to ensure we compete as clean athletes at a clean Games and have worked closed with UK Anti-Doping in the buildup to Glasgow 2014,” he said.
