| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Max Jaben |
| Nationality | American & Israeli |
| Born | United States |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Club | Kansas City Blazers |
| College team | University of Florida |
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Medal record
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Max Jaben (Hebrew: מקס ג'ייבן) is an American-born Israeli swimmer who made headlines when he was suspended from swimming in the 2008 Summer Olympics after failing a random drug test.
Jaben swam for the University of Florida and graduated from the University of Missouri .[1] In 2005, Jaben arrived in Israel to compete in the 2005 Maccabiah Games. He decided two years after the games to make aliyah and join the Israeli national swimming team. Jaben fulfilled his dreams of qualifying for the Summer Olympics in Beijing by finishing in 11th place at the 2008 European Aquatics Championships in the 200 metre freestyle event with a time of 1:49.48, then an Israeli national record.[2] During a random drug test taken after a month-long Olympic training camp in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, the anabolic steroid, boldenone, was found in his urine samples. Though Jaben claims to have not knowingly taken the substance, he was subsequently released from the Olympic squad.[3] After, Jaben returned to the University of Missouri to finish his Bachelors Degree in Business, Sociology and Hotel and Restaurant Management. Currently Jaben is training with Coach Dave Salo and the Trojan Swim Club, in Los Angeles California, in pursuit of his Olympic Dream.
Max Jaben is the son of Michael and Carrie Jaben and brother to Miles Jaben. Max was named after his late Great-Grandfather, Max Jaben, a long-time Kansas City underworld and behind-the-scenes political figure. Max lived his entire childhood in Overland Park, Kansas and graduated from Blue Valley High School in 2004. During his childhood Jaben swam from coach Peter D. Malone and the Kansas City Blazers, where he still holds numerous age-group records. During his highschool years Jaben was a class president, school mascot, Homecoming King, and member of the James Gerald Band, along with Patrick Frickleton, Sam Frickleton, and Salar Rajabnik, that wrote the hit song "Stilwell."