FIS MEDIA INFO: Georges Salameh (LIB) sanctioned by FIS Doping Panel 

Oberhofen, 29 April 2009/-- The FIS Doping Panel has found that Lebanese Alpine skier Georges Salameh committed an anti-doping rule violation contrary to article 2.1 of the FIS Anti-Doping Rules. Salameh has tested positive for the use of the prohibited substance Benzoylecgonine (metabolite of cocaine), identified on the WADA Prohibited List 2009 in class S6.a Non Specified Stimulants, during a doping control on 12th February 2009 in Val d'Isère (FRA).

For a first time violation, the athlete was sanctioned to a two-year period of ineligibility. The period of ineligibility commences as from the date of the hearing decision, 20th April 2009, with credit given, pursuant to article 10.9.3, for the period of the provisional suspension as from 17th February 2009 until 19th April 2009. Consequently, the athlete is ineligible to participate in any capacity in an event or activity authorized or organized by FIS or any National Ski Association from 20th April 2009 until 17th February 2011. Pursuant to article 10.8, in addition to the automatic disqualification of the results in the competition which produced the positive sample, all other competitive results obtained from the date that the positive sample was obtained are disqualified, along with the forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.

The FIS Doping Panel decision may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

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