Russia's canoe slalom champion Kirill Setkin has been suspended from competition for six months for doping offenses, the country's anti-doping agency said Thursday 27 December 2012. Kirill Setkin, 19, was temporarily banned in September 2012 after he was found to have taken a banned substance.

The canoe slalom federation of Russia, in executing a decision by Rusada, has taken the decision to disqualify the athlete Kirill Setkin for six months for a violation of anti-doping regulations," their website statement said.

Setkin was the 2010 junior world champion in the men's canoe individual in Foix, France. At the time France saw two of their boys go into the final. Despite the support, Nicolas Scianimancio and Simon Le Friec had to settle for 7th and 8th place respectively. Onto the podium were Kirill Setkin (RUS) in first place, Kacper Gondek (POL) in second and Roberto Colazingari (ITA) in third.

What do you think about doping in competitive paddle sports? In some sports like cycling it seems to be part of their culture. But what about slalom, sprint and so on?

Note Sportscene 28-01-2013. We just received the information below from another athlete from Germany. We didn't verify or edit this text.

"I have heard that it was a sad coincidence.. He got stung from something before the Russian Championships and the ambulance gave him something against the swelling.. And in this were the banned substances. He not really did it on purpose and that's the reason why RUSADA decided only to give a 6 months penalty.

I know this is not really an excuse but in my opinion it definitely makes the circumstances seen a little different."