Manila Pennacchio is the latest athlete to test positive for a banned substance while competing at a CrossFit Sanctional this season. The news comes on the same day as Ben Garard’s failed drug test. Pennacchio, from Italy, tested positive for GW1516 sulfoxide and GW1516 sulfone, metabolites of GW1516 (more commonly known as Endurobol). These are the same substances that Garard tested positive for on the same day.
Following the announcement, Pennacchio took to Instagram to give her side of the story.
To translate Pennacchio’s post to English:
26 April 2019 I leave for the Italianshowdown race with the desire to have fun and have a good experience. I am aware that there would be doping tests and that I would definitely be tested. I was there quietly knowing that I had nothing to hide or much less to fear. My amazement when I learn that I failed the Test for a substance, such as the Cardarina, which I state that I have not voluntarily hired to benefit in sports performance. I immediately presented an appeal in order to shed light on this matter, not knowing the details and conditions under which the tests were carried out, quantities present, etc. with the help of my lawyer @Lucamorassutto and a WADA recognized expert to examine all the documents that apparently have emerged not entirely in order. The fact is that yesterday I presented an appeal where I explained all the technical assessments of the case and why there would not be the conditions for a complete possible “conviction” and already tonight I received a negative acceptance answer. Not even 10 hours have passed. So this appeal was not even considered well. The thing that matters most to me since crossfit already publicly announces the results of the tests even before the other party could expose it to the end, is that I wanted to be able to tell it to all of you who have always supported me. Maybe now that crossfit is no longer on social media, it would have been muted, but I’m still me, the one who for better or for worse always says what he thinks. The possible explanations are to have taken it through environmental contamination or supplements because the presence was minimal and if I wanted to take it deliberately the concentration should have been much higher. (technical appraisals in the appeal that I will tell you in detail soon) Anyone who knows me knows how much hard work there is to build all this and I only regret that this news has slipped on the mouths of those who already judged only by hearsay without knowing the veracity of the facts, but I only hope that you all remember what a person I am, so much to deserve all your support.
Pennacchio argues that her appeal was not taken seriously by CrossFit, Inc. and that the amount of the banned substance was minimal. She says that possible explanations are from “environmental contamination or supplements” and that it if she was deliberately taking Endurobol the “concentration should have been much higher.”
The failed test means that Pennacchio will be banned from CrossFit competitions for four years, beginning April 26, 2019.
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