Drug-testing saga of Mullings continues

Steve Mullings, the sprinter from Jamaica, is pretty confident that his second portion (B Sample) of the urine sample he submitted following the men's 100m final at the JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Senior Trials on June 24 will be tested in the presence of his representatives at the IAAF/WADA accredited lab in Montréal, Canada.

Mullings' sample will be tested at the Doping Control Laboratory at the INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier Research Center in Quebec.

From Jamaicaobserver.com:

It was revealed last week that the first portion (A Sample) of Mullings sample had tested positive for the presence of a powerful diuretic Furosemide that has been used by athletes to mask the presence of anabolic steroids in their system.

According to Medicinenet.com, Furosemide, which is dispensed under the brand name 'Lasix', is "a potent diuretic (water pill) that is used to eliminate water and salt from the body. In the kidneys, salt (composed of sodium and chloride), water, and other small molecules normally are filtered out of the blood and into the tubules of the kidney. The filtered fluid ultimately becomes urine".

Mullings' agent John Regis told reporters last week that Mullings, who has the third fastest 100m time so far this season when he ran 9.80 seconds to win the event at the Pre-Fontaine Classic on July 4 in Eugene, Oregon, was notified last week Monday of the failed drug test.

The lab is one of only two World Anti-Doping Agency-certified laboratories in North America and has been used by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association for many years and the US Major League Baseball.