Groves cleared of breach of whereabouts rules

SYDNEY: Rio Olympics silver medallist Madeline Groves has been cleared of a third breach of anti-doping ‘whereabouts rules’ and is free to compete at next year’s Commonwealth Games, Swimming Australia said on Saturday.

The 22-year-old, who won silver in the 200m butterfly behind Spain’s Mireia Belmonte in Rio, had missed her third test at her residence in the United States in May.

However, swimming’s world governing body FINA said on Friday Groves had been “fully compliant with her responsibilities and obligations” and therefore not recorded a third breach of the rules in a 12-month period.

“I have always been confident in achieving this outcome as I have been compliant with all anti-doping policies throughout my career,” Groves said in a Swimming Australia statement on Saturday.

“I am happy to put this behind me and I am looking forward to competing in an attempt to qualify for the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.”

Local media reported that testers had been unable to find Groves at her university residence in San Diego.

However, her legal representatives said she had been waiting for them in her room and the testers had not gone beyond the building’s front desk nor tried to contact her by telephone.