Defiant Peris says drug test has ‘flaws’
SPRINTER Jessica Peris is claiming there were “substantial flaws” in a drug test that came back positive and forced her withdrawal from the Commonwealth Games selection trials on the Gold Coast.
The daughter of Olympic gold medallist Nova Peris has denied she took performanceenhancing drugs and will contest the ASADA finding.
Peris confirmed the positive test was from a urine sample taken on October 18 last year but refused to reveal the nature of the banned substance.
The 27-year-old went on to record several personal best times over 100m and 200m at the start of the Australian summer.
She rocketed into Commonwealth Games calculations last month when she ran a personal best 11.41 sec in defeating rising star Riley Day at a meeting in Brisbane.
Peris only found out about the positive test on January 20 and was subsequently not allowed to participate in last weekend’s selection trials, despite her mother urging Athletics Australia officials to let her run.
She is still awaiting the results of a B-sample taken back in October but claimed a blood test taken at the same time had tested negative.
In a prepared statement Peris said she was disappointed it had taken three months for ASADA to alert her to the positive test.
“I did not take any performance-enhancing substance. I now believe that there are substantial flaws in the way in which my urine tests were conducted in respect of my urine sample to ASADA on 18 October,” she said.
“I am looking forward to fighting any doping allegation brought against me by ASADA and ensuring my reputation as a clean athlete continues.”