Peter Bol: WA runner’s ‘relief’ as suspension is lifted following B sample test

Star WA runner Peter Bol has described his “relief” after announcing his B sample has come back negative, leading to his provisional suspension being lifted.

But Sport Integrity Australia tempered Bol’s statement, saying the B sample showed an atypical finding that was not the same as a negative result and their investigation would continue.

The athletics world was rocked last month after Bol failed an out-of-competition doping test, which showed signs of synthetic EPO.

But the 28-year-old on Tuesday morning said his secondary sample had not matched up with his first test.

“Last month I told everyone that I was innocent and asked that everyone in Australia believe me and let the process play out,” Bol wrote on Twitter.

“I was hopeful that the process would exonerate me. This morning, I am relieved to report that it did.”

Bol’s provisional suspension from Sport Integrity Australia has now been lifted.

“The relief I am feeling is hard to describe,” he wrote.

Bol labelled the past month a “nightmare” but said he was grateful for the support from his family, team and fans.

“I wish that the results of my A sample had not been leaked, but there is nothing I can do about that,” he said.

“To say it one more time: I am innocent and have not taken this substance as I was accused.

“I have NEVER in my life purchased, researched, possessed, administered, or used synthetic EPO or any other prohibited substances, and never will.”

However, while his suspension has been lifted, Sport Integrity Australia released a statement confirming their investigation into the matter was not yet over.

“An ATF (atypical finding) is not the same as a negative result,” the statement read.

“Sport Integrity Australia will, as part of its investigation, proceed to consider whether any anti-doping rule violation/s have been committed. It is not possible to provide a timeframe at this point.”

Bol rose to prominence at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, producing a superb series of 800m runs to narrowly miss out on a bronze medal.

He snared Commonwealth Games silver in the same event a year later to emerge as one of Australia’s highest-profile athletics stars.

Bol, who was born in Sudan and fled the war-torn country with his family when he was four, had maintained his innocence since the results of his A sample were made public on January 20.

Bol’s A sample had stemmed from a urine test taken on October 11 last year.

Paul Greene, Bol’s lawyer, told ABC it was a “disgrace” that the results of the A sample had been made public.

More to come