Callum Priestley: Difference between revisions
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'''Callum Priestley''' (born 13 February 1989) |
'''Callum Priestley''' (born 13 February 1989) was a [[Great Britain|British]] athlete who specialised in sprint [[hurdling]]. He was banned after a positive sample for banned substances was found in a urine sample whilst training with the UK team in South Africa in January 2010. Subsequent to the ban, Priestley retired from competitive athletics. |
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He began competing in [[athletics (sport)|athletics]] while at school and finished second in the [[110 metres hurdles]] at the 2005 [[English Schools' Athletic Association]] Championships. Progressing through the ranks at youth level, he represented Great Britain at the [[2007 European Athletics Junior Championships]] and reached the hurdles final, although he did not finish the race.<ref name=Power10>[http://www.thepowerof10.info/athletes/profile.aspx?athleteid=28415 Callum Priestley Profile]. Power of 10. Retrieved on 2010-09-03.</ref> |
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The 2009 season proved to be a breakthrough at national level as he took third in the [[60 metres hurdles]] at the UK Indoor Championships.<ref name=Power10/> He followed this with second place finishes outdoors at the England U23 Championships and the UK World Trials/National Championships.<ref name=Guardian1>Kessel, Anna (2010-03-05). [http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/mar/05/callum-priestley-positive-drug-test Callum Priestley suspended after positive drugs test]. ''[[The Guardian]]''. Retrieved on 2010-09-03.</ref> At the [[2009 European Athletics U23 Championships]] he won the [[bronze medal]] behind [[Artur Noga]] and compatriot [[Gianni Frankis]], running a personal best time of 13.63 seconds. A win at the McCain UK Challenge Final in [[Cardiff]] meant he earned a share of the £5000 jackpot as he won his race and topped the event rankings in the national competition.<ref>[http://www.uka.org.uk/media/news/august-2009/15-08-09-ukcf-report/ Trio Scoop Golden Jackpot]. [[UK Athletics]] (2010-08-15). Retrieved on 2010-09-04.</ref> He gained lottery funding at the end of the year as part of the [[2012 London Olympics]] development programme.<ref name=BBC1>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8967713.stm British hurdler Callum Priestley given drugs ban]. [[BBC Sport]] (2010-09-03). Retrieved on 2010-09-03.</ref> |
The 2009 season proved to be a breakthrough at national level as he took third in the [[60 metres hurdles]] at the UK Indoor Championships.<ref name=Power10/> He followed this with second place finishes outdoors at the England U23 Championships and the UK World Trials/National Championships.<ref name=Guardian1>Kessel, Anna (2010-03-05). [http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/mar/05/callum-priestley-positive-drug-test Callum Priestley suspended after positive drugs test]. ''[[The Guardian]]''. Retrieved on 2010-09-03.</ref> At the [[2009 European Athletics U23 Championships]] he won the [[bronze medal]] behind [[Artur Noga]] and compatriot [[Gianni Frankis]], running a personal best time of 13.63 seconds. A win at the McCain UK Challenge Final in [[Cardiff]] meant he earned a share of the £5000 jackpot as he won his race and topped the event rankings in the national competition.<ref>[http://www.uka.org.uk/media/news/august-2009/15-08-09-ukcf-report/ Trio Scoop Golden Jackpot]. [[UK Athletics]] (2010-08-15). Retrieved on 2010-09-04.</ref> He gained lottery funding at the end of the year as part of the [[2012 London Olympics]] development programme.<ref name=BBC1>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8967713.stm British hurdler Callum Priestley given drugs ban]. [[BBC Sport]] (2010-09-03). Retrieved on 2010-09-03.</ref> |
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The next season he became the national champion indoors with a 60 m hurdles win in [[Sheffield]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8552246.stm Callum Priestley suspended after drugs charge]. [[BBC Sport]] (2010-03-05). Retrieved on 2010-09-03.</ref><ref>Broadbent, Rick (2010-03-05). [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/athletics/article7051356.ece Callum Priestley fails test in blow to Britain’s stand on drugs]. ''[[The Times]]''. Retrieved on 2010-09-03.</ref> Following the victory, he went to train in the [[UK Athletics]] winter camp in [[South Africa]] that February. There he failed an out-of-competition drugs test, after the prohibited substance [[clenbuterol]] was found in his system. |
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He claimed he ingested the substance unintentionally. Additionally he claimed that he and a number of athletes in the team came down with food poisoning. The team doctor attended and confirmed his symptoms. |
He claimed he ingested the substance unintentionally. Additionally he claimed that he and a number of athletes in the team came down with food poisoning. The team doctor attended and confirmed his symptoms. |
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Disillusioned with the sport following his ban, he did not return to the sport after its conclusion. |
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In his defence, he claims that the symptoms appear to be very similar if not the same as those one might expect to find if one was suffering from clenbuterol poisoning. During the camp Priestley was the only athlete tested. Non of the athletes were examined to establish why so many athletes came down with the same symptoms. Priestley suggests that this was an opportunity missed by the team organisers and/or the authorities responsible for ensuring athlete safety. |
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The following is taken from his press release (Sept 2010): |
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“I may have lost out from this as my severe food poisoning was not fully analysed or diagnosed. I just hope for the sake of other athletes that those are issues that UK Athletics and UK Anti-Doping will examine seriously on conclusion of these proceedings.” |
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See the full Priestley response at [http://www.athletics-weekly.com Athletics Weekly] online: http://www.athletics-weekly.com/article.php?id=1561 |
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When confronted he initially felt that it may have had something to do with the supplements he was taking. Whilst arranging to have them tested (he had to arrange to have then sent to America) he, his lawyer and Michelle Veroken attempted to establish if there was a link to the food poisoning. |
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He initially stated that he thought his nutritional supplements were responsible (tests did not detect the supplements), and later suggested [[steroid]]-treated South African meat could be the source – a claim which was never substantiated scientifically.<ref name=BBC1/> He was banned from the sport for two years for the failed test and also received a lifetime ban from the [[Olympic Games]], ruling him out of the upcoming London Games. This made him the first British athlete to fail a test and receive a ban since [[Dwain Chambers]] in 2003.<ref name=Guardian1/> |
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The following is extracted from Athletics Daily online (http://athleticsdaily.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=chat&action=display&thread=5604&page=1 {{registration required}}. It is uncontroversial to state that anti-doping procedures in terms of athletics is designed solely to establish the presence of a banned substance in an athlete’s sample. How it got there, whether the athlete is an intended cheat, is not the issue. It is simply a case of guilty until proven innocent. If an athlete believes the substance arrived there in an 'accidental' manner, then it is up to the athlete to prove it - usually at a significant cost to the athlete and/or their family. |
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Further the Sports lawyer, [http://www.hammonds.com/Default.aspx?sID=14&cID=100130&ctID=36&lID=0 Mike Morgan], of [http://www.hammonds.com/Default.aspx?sID=1&lID=0 Hammonds LLP] who is taking on a number of cases worldwide where athletes have failed Clenbuterol tests and similar substances, said: “The circumstances of this case - i.e. meat contamination- should compel anti-doping authorities to investigate the risk to athletes of training and competing in countries in which prohibited substances are used to rear animal stock. See Priestley press release: http://www.athletics-weekly.com/article.php?id=1561 |
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In conclusion it may be argued (as it is by Verroken) that any "responsible organisation would be, at least, taking steps to ensure that athletes training in Stellenbosch are not at risk, that nutritionists are not the catalyst of risky supplement use and the sport should be in immediate contact offering opportunities to reintroduce an athlete to the sport again.” |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 11:56, 16 August 2013
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| Medal record | ||
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Representing  United Kingdom
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| European U23 Championships | ||
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2009 Kaunas | 110 m hurdles |
Callum Priestley (born 13 February 1989) was a British athlete who specialised in sprint hurdling. He was banned after a positive sample for banned substances was found in a urine sample whilst training with the UK team in South Africa in January 2010. Subsequent to the ban, Priestley retired from competitive athletics.
He began competing in athletics while at school and finished second in the 110 metres hurdles at the 2005 English Schools' Athletic Association Championships. Progressing through the ranks at youth level, he represented Great Britain at the 2007 European Athletics Junior Championships and reached the hurdles final, although he did not finish the race.[1]
The 2009 season proved to be a breakthrough at national level as he took third in the 60 metres hurdles at the UK Indoor Championships.[1] He followed this with second place finishes outdoors at the England U23 Championships and the UK World Trials/National Championships.[2] At the 2009 European Athletics U23 Championships he won the bronze medal behind Artur Noga and compatriot Gianni Frankis, running a personal best time of 13.63 seconds. A win at the McCain UK Challenge Final in Cardiff meant he earned a share of the £5000 jackpot as he won his race and topped the event rankings in the national competition.[3] He gained lottery funding at the end of the year as part of the 2012 London Olympics development programme.[4]
The next season he became the national champion indoors with a 60 m hurdles win in Sheffield.[5][6] Following the victory, he went to train in the UK Athletics winter camp in South Africa that February. There he failed an out-of-competition drugs test, after the prohibited substance clenbuterol was found in his system.
He claimed he ingested the substance unintentionally. Additionally he claimed that he and a number of athletes in the team came down with food poisoning. The team doctor attended and confirmed his symptoms.
Disillusioned with the sport following his ban, he did not return to the sport after its conclusion.
See also
References
- ^ a b Callum Priestley Profile. Power of 10. Retrieved on 2010-09-03.
- ^ Kessel, Anna (2010-03-05). Callum Priestley suspended after positive drugs test. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2010-09-03.
- ^ Trio Scoop Golden Jackpot. UK Athletics (2010-08-15). Retrieved on 2010-09-04.
- ^ British hurdler Callum Priestley given drugs ban. BBC Sport (2010-09-03). Retrieved on 2010-09-03.
- ^ Callum Priestley suspended after drugs charge. BBC Sport (2010-03-05). Retrieved on 2010-09-03.
- ^ Broadbent, Rick (2010-03-05). Callum Priestley fails test in blow to Britain’s stand on drugs. The Times. Retrieved on 2010-09-03.
7. http://www.athletics-weekly.com/article.php?id=1561 - Priestley's full Press Release.