Group hacks SA star’s documents

Olympic swimming star Cameron van der Burgh is the first South African sportsman to have personal medical documents released online by hacking group Fancy Bears, which claims he received a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) to take a prohibited substance three years ago.

The former 100m breaststroke world record-holder and double Olympic medallist was among the latest group of athletes listed on the Fancy Bears website at the weekend.

The site published a document, dated June 2013, which was alleged to be a TUE certificate for the banned substance salbutamol, used to treat asthma.

Inhaled salbutamol had since been removed from the prohibited list.

“The (TUE) process is designed to ensure that the requirement is genuine and that, in the prevailing circumstances, the substance does not afford the athlete an unfair advantage but rather addresses a medical condition,” the SA Institute for Drug Free Sport said in a statement yesterday.

Among other athletes targeted by the Fancy Bears hacking group were British cyclists Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome, and tennis players Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal. – Wesley Botton