Statement from Swimming Canada regarding athlete suspension

OTTAWA – Swimming Canada respects the decision of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport to suspend national team athlete Ruslan Gaziev from Dec. 1, 2023 to May 31, 2025 due to an anti-doping rule violation.
 
“We understand that Ruslan did not keep his whereabouts information fully up-to-date and was therefore not available for required testing. Ruslan has explained to us that it was inadvertent,” said Swimming Canada Acting CEO Suzanne Paulins. “Anti-doping regulations are in place to ensure a level playing field for all athletes, and we are committed to the enforcement and support of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP).”
 
“It is certainly disappointing news for Ruslan, his teammates and all of us at Swimming Canada who know how hard he has worked over the years to compete at the international level,” Paulins said. 
 
Paulins noted that the sanction highlights the need for athletes to complete whereabouts information and be available for testing.
 
“Athletes are responsible for completing whereabouts and submitting filings on time to avoid a sanction such as this. We hope this incident will serve as a reminder for all athletes around the need to follow the CADP and ensure they are compliant.”
 
Once informed of the violation, Gaziev cooperated with all aspects of the process.