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Turkey Basketball Fed Chair: "Taurasi Sample B Should Be Tested Within 10 Days"

<em>(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)</em>
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Getty Images

From Millyet, the Turkish sports site, this badly-translated article quotes from Dr. Turgay Atasü, the Chairman of the Board of Health of the Turkish Basketball Federation:

" Taurasi'nin A sample of the substance given to pilots in the United States, people living in the sleep disorder can also use this medicine emphasizes Atasü, used the following phrases: "In fact, Taurasi'nin B sample should be tested within 10 days, was thrown into the month of January. Already oynayamadığı tolerance for the views it. Taurasi'nin B sample also does not change. I have not seen so far of such a change. Because the laboratory performing these tests, a number of times she repeats the results positively. Taurasi in this situation normally takes 2 years penalty. basketball world One of the summit but what I do, also use it. "U.S. player's lawyer, after B sample testing of the truth will emerge, indicating the Atasü about the defense of not guilty, "guilty of any (I did) not say. We'll see when the B sample. All those who will deny that," he said.

It appears from the translation that:

a)  Dr.  Atasü said that the B sample should be tested within 10 days of the first sample.  Pushing the opening of test sample B into January is cutting it very close. 

b)  The translation implies that he personally has never seen an A sample test positive and a B sample test negative.

An online article from CBC Sports states that not only is Modalinil a stimulant, but it has also been used in the past to mask the steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG).  THG might be better known in pop culture as "The Clear", which was the designer steroid implicated in the Barry Bonds scandal.  Undoubtedly, this is the source of concern of the Turkish Basketball Federation and FIBA, although Modafinil is a legitimate FDA-approved drug for prescription.