Montenegrin water polo players are set to compete in the Olympic Games in Paris; however, Aleksa Ukropina will not be participating due to a doping violation!

The left-handed athlete was tested on January 21, just prior to departing for Trebinje to commence World Cup preparations in Doha, and he “failed” the test due to the presence of an inhalant.

He did not notify anyone from the Water Polo and Swimming Association of Montenegro (VPSCG) about the test, nor did he seek a doctor’s confirmation on whether the substance was on WADA’s positive or “exempt” list.

According to sources from “Vijesti,” Ukropina chose not to request a B sample and admitted his wrongdoing. By the end of the month, he is required to submit a statement to WADA regarding his use of prohibited substances.

The news of Ukropina’s positive test was communicated to VPSCG after the quarter-finals against Spain in Doha, subsequently resulting in his absence from the stands during matches against Greece and Hungary.

The minimum penalty for this infraction is six months, effectively ruling him out of the Olympics. He is not the first left-handed water polo player from Montenegro to face such a suspension; Đuro Radović was sidelined from October 2021 to February 2023 for failing to complete doping documentation correctly on several occasions.

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