Eight years after the peak of his career reached thanks to an Olympic bronze medal at the Rio Games, hurdler Dimitri Bascou was tested positive for steroids by the French Anti-Doping Agency ( AFLD), report Tuesday, April 9, Fanceinfo and Le Parisien.
The check would have been carried out on January 28, during its first meeting of the season in Val-de-Reuil (Eure). He had run his 60m hurdles in 7.72s in series and missed his final, finishing 6th in 8.65s. On February 18, he took third place in the final of the French indoor championships, in 7.65s, an insufficient time to qualify for the Indoor World Championships in Glasgow (Scotland), at the beginning of March.
“I am stunned,” the person reacted to Franceinfo. In more than 15 years of career, I have no missteps. I am always very vigilant. I have always respected the anti-doping rules. »
The athlete has a “privileged avenue” to explain this positive test, that of “a food supplement”. “However, I am very careful with the brands I have worked with for years,” he continues. I haven't recently taken any new products compared to usual. I will speak again after the meeting with the AFLD. »
Dimitri Bascou announced his retirement in 2021, after failing to qualify for the Tokyo Games. But the 110m hurdles specialist, 36, had put on his spikes again to try to obtain a precious ticket for Paris 2024. Behind athletes like Wilhem Belocian, Sasha Zohya, Just Kwaou-Mathey and Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, his task was not going to be easy. It might now be impossible.
