Three players, including Canadian, suspended by Czech team for alleged doping
A bit of a scandal has rocked a hockey team in the Czech Republic's main league, and it involves a Canadian player. Three members of Mountfield HK, which made it all the way to the finals of the Czech Extraliga, have been suspended by the team indefinitely pending the results of an investigation into alleged doping.
The team's website lists the three players as Kevin Kl�ma and Martin �tohanzl of Czechia, and Graeme McCormack, who is originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario. It says recent test results from the Czech Anti-Doping Agency came back positive for a banned substance.
"The hockey club is therefore suspending the three players Kevin Kl�ma, Graeme McCormack, Martin �tohanzl from their professional contracts until the case is resolved. At the same time, the following position is taken on this situation: Mountfield HK unequivocally distances itself from similar activities of the players and the use of any dietary supplements containing a banned substance, even if it was an unconscious and unintentional violation of the rules. The club disassociates itself from such behaviour, while at the same time it did not knowingly or unknowingly participate in this offence. - Mountfield HK According to AftonBladet, the three players were taking some sort of supplement to help them recover from the flu. Mountfield said in its statement that it is the responsibility of players to know what they're taking.
"The players' contract obliges players to consult the club doctor about the composition of all drugs and supplements before taking them, which is regularly done, but in this case, for an unknown reason, it was not. There was thus an individual breach of this rule by the players in question." - Mountfield HK
McCormack's highest level reached in hockey was playing one game in the AHL with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Following that, the 32-year-old played professionally in Norway, France, Slovakia, and the last two seasons with Mountfield. According to AftonBladet, the three players can be banned from playing for four years depending on the results of the investigation.
| POLL |
If four years a fair punishment for breaking anti-doping rules? |
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| No, not enough | 18 | 15.1 % |
| I'm not sure | 8 | 6.7 % |
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