The ripples from the ever-burgeoning international sports doping scandal washed into Saanich Commonwealth Place.
Victoria swimmer Alec Page, originally fourth this summer in the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games鈥� 200-metre butterfly, was upgraded to bronze and awarded his medal Friday in front of his boisterous Island Swimming Club teammates.
Original silver-medallist, Mauricio Fiol of Peru, whose time was good enough to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics, was disqualified because of a doping infraction, according to Swimming sa国际传媒. So original third-place finisher Zack Chetrat of Oakville, Ont., steps up from bronze to the silver medal and Page from fourth to the bronze behind winner Leonardo De Deus of Brazil.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 feel ripped off that I didn鈥檛 get to have this medal presented on the podium at the Games,鈥� said Page, a 2012 London Olympian training for Rio 2016.
鈥淚 always cherish the experience more than a piece of hardware.鈥�
Asked if he feels that Canadian athletes are stepping into the starting blocks at a disadvantage next to some nations, Page replied: 鈥淚鈥檓 sure it鈥檚 always going to be a part of sports, like it or not. I heard rumours. Maybe it鈥檚 naive, but I like to give [international opponents] the benefit of the doubt. As for us, I am very confident in the Canadian system [of doping control].鈥�
Among those Island Swimming teammates who dunked the full clothed Page into the Saanich pool following the belated medal ceremony was two-time Olympic medallist Ryan Cochrane, who won two gold medals at the Toronto Pan Am Games.
鈥淎lec won the medal fairly. It鈥檚 not ideal and it鈥檚 disappointing he could not be on the podium on the day in real time,鈥� said Cochrane.
鈥淏ut the upside is that it鈥檚 turned into a special occasion today that Alec can share with his clubmates.鈥�
As for whether he believes he is swimming against clean athletes internationally 鈥� the cheaters are always a couple of steps ahead of the authorities 鈥� Cochrane said: 鈥淭hinking about it too much will drive you crazy. We focus on what we can control.鈥�
The medal was presented to Page by Swimming sa国际传媒 vice-president Dean Crawford of Victoria, an Olympic gold-medallist rower from the 1984 L.A. Games.
Page also received a personal letter from Canadian Pan Am Games team chef de mission Curt Harnett, a former Olympic cycling medallist, which in part read: 鈥淚 am happy this unfortunate incident is finally being rectified and your accomplishment is being acknowledged. The COC is resolute in its determination to protect the integrity of sport and our clean athletes from doping.鈥�
Page and Chetrat were among three Canadian athletes from the 2015 Pan Am Games being upgraded because of doping violations disqualifying athletes from other nations. Rachel Hannah of Brampton, Ont., moves from fourth to bronze in the women鈥檚 marathon.
