Three Seychellois weightlifters have been suspended following anti-doping rule violations, said the Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (ORAD) on behalf of the Seychelles National Anti-doping Commission.

According to a communique from ORAD on April 5, the three weightlifters are Cyrous Farabeau, Romentha Larue and Assania Rose.

Farabeau, 27, has been suspended for three years after banned substances were found in his system in a test done on July 13, 2023. The substances found were anabolic androgenic steroids, known as metenolone.

ORAD said, "Farabeau admitted to doping on 16 October 2023 by signing a confession form, which led to the application of the penalties laid down for a first offence. He was suspended for three years with a one-year reduction for admitting to breaking the rules."

His suspension took effect on October 24, 2023 and will end on October 23, 2026.

As a result of this suspension, Farabeau is disqualified from all results and bonuses obtained from July 13, 2023, the date on which the sample was taken.

Farabeau won three silver medals in 109 kg at the Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) in Madagascar in 2023, and this means the medals will be forfeited.

Larue, aged 25, has been suspended for three years, for the same substance as Farabeau. She will be suspended from the sport until October 23, 2026. 

Larue, aged 25, has been banned for three years. (Seychelles Nation) Photo license: CC-BY

Larue did not participate in the last IOIG in Madagascar due to injury.

Meanwhile, Assania Rose, aged 20, has been suspended for four years, after failing her test, meaning she is suspended until October 23, 2027.

Her suspension is longer because according to ORAD "Rose was offered a hearing but did not request one. She was also allowed to appeal the final decision, but did not request within the required 21-day period."

Speaking to the local media on Monday, Paul Nioze, manager of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Indian Ocean Regional Office,  said that the athletes who have accepted the sanctions, will not be able to appeal.

The chairman of the Seychelles Weightlifting Federation, Robert Rose, said, "We are against doping, but sometimes in high level sports it happens."

He added, "In weightlifting, all the athletes know about the 11 banned substances listed on the IWF website, and that it should not be used, but we do not have control over the athletes, especially when they are outside of the gym."

Rose said, "We need to have more education on the dangers of these substances for the athletes, or else our athletes will not move forward."

The subject of doping continues to put a blight on weightlifting in Seychelles, one of the sporting events that Seychellois weightlifters have always excelled in.

Already, Ruby Malvina is serving a four-year ban while young weightlifter of the year 2019, Joelita Coloma, has been provisionally suspended by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) after a doping test showed the presence of drostanolone and trenbolone metabolite, the same substances found in Malvina's case.

In 2009, Charles Simeon was banned for two years, while Brenda Lozaique was banned for two years in 2011.