In December 2016 Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player after his A and B samples tested positive for the prohibited substance higenamine.
After notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and he was heard for the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand.
The Athlete gave a prompt admission about the violation, stated that he had used out-of-competition the supplement ‘The One 2.0.' purchased in Australia and showed that the prohibited substance higenamine wasn’t mentioned on the label of the supplement.
DFSNZ accepted that the Athlete’s violation was non intentional and that the supplement was contaminated as definied under the Rules establishing that his fault was not significant. Considering the circumstances in this case DFSNZ proposed a 9 month period of ineligibility.
After an adjournment requested by the parties in April 2017 a joint memorandum was filed on behalf of DFSNZ and the Athlete.
The Sports Tribunal of New Zealand considers the joint memorandum to be fair and decides on 3 May 2017 to impose a 9 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the sample collection, i.e. on 22 September 2016.