July 21, 2023
Dear Representatives of AIDA and CMAS, 

We, the undersigned members of the freediving community, write this open letter to you with deep concern and a strong call for immediate action regarding our sport’s integrity, fairness, and safety. Recent events have highlighted the urgent need for decisive measures to preserve the principles at the core of fair competition.

It has come to our attention that on July 4th, Vitomir Maricic and Peter Klovar were found to be in possession of four known Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) during a search in the Bahamas before the Vertical Blue competition. According to the information released by Vertical Blue, Peter Klovar's luggage contained Fursemid 40mg, a medication commonly used to mask the presence of other PEDs, along with the benzodiazepines Helex 0.25mg, Normabel 5mg, and Diazepam in two different sizes, all prohibited by Vertical Blue policy. Similarly, Vitomir Maricic's luggage contained Diazepam Alkaloid 2mg, also prohibited by Vertical Blue policy.

As concerned organizations invested in the well-being of athletes, the development of the sport, and the promotion of clean competition, we urge you to take immediate action in accordance with Article 2.6 of the World Anti-Doping Code. This article states that an athlete or their coach being in possession of any drugs listed on the banned substances list constitutes an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV).

In the spirit of maintaining fair play, transparency, and upholding the principles of clean sport, we respectfully request that both Petar Klovar and Vitomir Maricic be immediately suspended from all competitions under Article 2.6 of the World Anti-Doping Code for the possession of Fursemid 40mg. By taking this action, you will demonstrate your commitment to safeguarding the integrity, safety, and credibility of the sport, ensuring a level playing field for all athletes.

Furthermore, we believe it is imperative to address a significant gap in the current World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned substances list. The inclusion of benzodiazepines on this list is long overdue. According to Dr. Michel Léglise, the CMAS anti-doping and medical director, "[benzodiazepines] are totally unfair as assimilated to a doping practice to enhance performance." He further emphasizes that "the side effects [of benzodiazepines] can induce a profound and dangerous sedation, reduction or loss of consciousness, heart and respiratory depression, even coma and, in all cases, insidious and durable loss of cognition."

We appreciate CMAS’ effort to include benzodiazepines on the WADA list of banned substances, but the danger to the sport and its safety is being challenged now and requires swift action.

Given that AIDA and CMAS are organizations committed to teaching divers how to dive safely and are the biggest certifiers of records in our sport, we strongly urge you to ban benzodiazepines without the requirement for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) immediately and update the doping legislations for the sport. Failing to implement these reasonable restrictions exposes the sport to significant risks, including the potential for catastrophic injuries or even fatalities resulting from the misuse of these dangerous drugs.

The freediving community stands united, urging you to address our concerns promptly for the health and well-being of this great sport. We trust in your commitment to preserving the integrity of freediving and count on your timely and appropriate response.