Today marks as important a day as Michelle de Bruin has experienced in her long and turbulent swimming career. When Cornel Marculescu, the director of FINA, arrives in his Lausanne offices this morning, he will find waiting for him a fax from de Bruin's solicitors requesting that the B sample of her January 10th urine test be opened and independently examined. De Bruin had been given until midnight tonight to make a decision on whether she wanted to open the sample.

Consultations will take place this morning between de Bruin's representatives and FINA to agree a date for the parties to assemble in the International Olympic Committee-approved laboratory in Barcelona where the B sample will be analysed. It is thought unlikely that either Michelle de Bruin or her husband, Erik, will be present. They will be represented by their solicitor and a laboratory technician.

De Bruin's solicitor, Peter Lennon, has expressed public reservations about the usefulness of opening the B sample, but he announced on Friday afternoon that they were requesting the analysis "under protest".

If de Bruin had declined to have the B sample analysed, FINA's doping commission would have proceeded with her case on the assumption that she accepted the findings of the A test.

The laboratory report on the sample taken by Al Guy and his wife, Kay, in de Bruin's home in county Kilkenny in early January revealed signs of the administration of a testosterone precursor. De Bruin is also accused of adulterating the sample by means of a banned process.

Tests on the sample are likely to be carried out early this week under the supervision of de Bruin's representatives, and if, as is thought likely by all sides, the B sample confirms the findings of the A sample, de Bruin will appear before the FINA doping panel in mid or late June.

De Bruin has stated publicly that she anticipates being banned for four years at that stage. She will appeal any adverse decision to the court of arbitration for sport in Lausanne.