24th September 2004

Cuba loses Judo Gold. Inevitably the drugs-in-sport saga continues.

A visually impaired judo competitor from Cuba lost his Paralympic gold medal today (Friday) after testing positive for a banned substance.

Sergio Arturo Perez tested positive for prednisolone, an anti-inflammatory agent. Perez also received a warning but no further sanctions.

"Prednisolone is not a performance-enhancing substance in judo," An IPC spokesperson said. "Therefore, we can apply the minimum sanction, which is a warning and reprimand and a loss of the results and his gold medal."

Perez was tested after winning the 132-pound Judo class on Sept. 18.

See: Drugs scandal leaves Canada with a man less
and: Drugs scandal - Two Paralympic Expulsions