SEEKONK - Former Seekonk High School and state and national
track great Jeff Chakouian has been banned from competing in the
2008 Beijing Olympics after testing positive for a banned diuretic,
according to published reports.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency on Friday issued a one-year ban
against Chakouian, a national caliber shot putter, according to The
(Bloomington, Ill.) Pantagraph.
The suspension runs from Sept. 28, 2007 to Sept. 27, 2008,
preventing the six-time All-American from competing in the U.S.
Olympic Trials or next year's Olympics. Chakouian had a shot put
best of 66 feet, 7 inches this year.
Chakouian, a 2000 graduate of Seekonk High School, tested
positive for hydrochlorothiazide during a Sept. 5 random
out-of-competition test.
Chakouian used the drug after a doctor prescribed it to treat
hypertension and high blood pressure. However, he did not get
advance approval, as required.
It was the first violation for Chakouian, who is the assistant
track coach at Illinois State University.
Chakouian, 25, was regarded as New England's premier shot put
and discus thrower while at Seekonk High, where he was also a Sun
Chronicle All-Star.
He went on to an illustrious career at the University of
Kentucky and was invited to the U.S. Olympic Team trials.
He was inducted into the Massachusetts State Track Coaches
Association Hall of Fame in February.
