Top Australian swim coach, Russian-born Gennadi Touretski, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of possessing the banned performance-enhancing steroid Stanozolol.
Touretski, who has been in hiding since being charged with the offence on April 10th, appeared in court but said nothing.
His solicitor Jason Parkinson told magistrate John Burns he was pleading not guilty. Parkinson told reporters outside court Touretski would fight the charge.
"Mr Touretski looks forward to defending this charge then he can get back to doing what he does best, which is training swimmers," Parkinson said.
The charge under the Poisons and Drugs Act carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison but Touretski, already suspended on full pay from his job as senior coach at the Australian Institute of Sport, would be banned from swimming for life if found guilty.
The charge arose after Touretski's safe, stolen from his home on April 1st, was discovered by police allegedly with 10 steroid tablets inside.
Two heroin users have been charged with the burglary.
The 51-year-old guided Russian Alex Popov to four Olympic gold medals and Australian Michael Klim to four world championship gold medals and three Olympic golds. - AFP