Mr Mermaid | LK Adaptation

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Lisa: Three years ago, you were banned from competing due to a urine test coming back positive for stimulants. Many people have been wondering about the cause of the positive results.

Jungkook: In July of that year, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) executed an impromptu update on the list of banned drugs and medications. My team doctor did not see the updated list in time. In August, he prescribed a nutritional supplement for me. This supplement contained a type of peptide hormone which just so happened to be one of the new drugs on the list of banned medications. At that time, he was unaware and I was also unaware. And so I took the supplements, and my urine test came back positive.

Lisa: So it was a case of accidental consumption?

Jungkook: Yes.

Lisa: Why the three year ban then? Compared to the typical penalty, it's rather long. Especially if it was just an accident.

Jungkook: The timing was just so coincidental. In the first half of that year, there had been several international doping scandals, and there was even one case within the country. The General Administration of Sport decided to take strict action against this. I was the first to test positive after the crack down, so the punishment was much harsher to set an example. An immediate three-year ban.

Lisa: But you were clearly innocent. Didn't you appeal the ban?

Jungkook: I was originally planning to appeal, but incidences of accidental drug consumption are not easy to verify. On top of that, what I had consumed was a nutritional supplement, not a prescribed medication or treatment, so it was quite difficult to appeal. With the crackdown, things just came to a head, so my coach advised me to be patient and wait a while before trying to appeal.

Back then, I had an argument with the team doctor. I was young and foolish then, and said some harsh words in my anger. The team doctor was very angry and left. I was unable to find him ever since. When I wanted to appeal later, the person who wrote the prescription was gone. There wasn't enough evidence, so I had no way to appeal.

Lisa: That's very unfortunate.

Jungkook: Yes, it was indeed rather unlucky. WADA usually updates its banned drugs list on a fixed schedule, I do not often take nutritional supplements, and the General Administration of Sport doesn't always take such a harsh stance ... everything just converged together at that time.

Lisa: Do you feel much regret for missing out those three years? There had been World Championships and Olympic Games held within those three years.

Jungkook: When the incidence just happened, I was very bad, but I came to terms with it after that. Honestly, it might not have been a bad thing. Back then, my time for the butterfly stroke had already been stuck without improvement for quite a while. I didn't know if there was still any room for improvement. Switching to freestyle actually gave me a sense of rightness, like a fish returning to water.

Lisa: A blessing in disguise.

Jungkook: Yes, that's it.

********

Lisa sat in her swivel chair, staring blankly into space with her face in her hands. Bambamn was seated beside her, his elbows resting on the edge of the desk as he flipped idly through the day's newspaper. The weather was a little warmer now, so he had already changed into a single-layer plaid shirt. Right now, the sleeves of his shirt had been neatly rolled up, revealing fair forearms.

When he flipped to the page with Jungkook's exclusive interview, he stopped and nudged Lisa gently, "What a large panel. Boss, you're going to be big now."