Softball New Zealand has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Respondent after her sample tested positive for the prohibited substance morphine.
Respondent stated she had suffered severe toothache before and during a tournament in China. The Tribunal accepted evidence that Respondent’s room-mate at the tournament had supplied her with two Nurofen Plus tablets to help her alleviate her toothache. The Tribunal heard and accepted expert scientific evidence that codeine (an active ingredient in these tablets) metabolises into morphine in a person’s system (at different rates and levels depending on the individual). Respondent’s drug test result returned readings for both codeine and morphine. The Tribunal accepted further expert scientific evidence that Respondent’s morphine reading in the drug test was consistent with her having taken the two codeine based tablets (based upon codeine/morphine ratios commonly accepted in the scientific literature). After hearing evidence, the Tribunal was satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that the tablets were the source of the morphine in Respondent’s test (as a result of the codeine metabolising into morphine in Respondent’s system).
The Sports Tribunal of New Zealand were satisfied that Respondent had established, on the balance of probabilities, that she was not at fault in taking the tablets. The Tribunal concludes that there was no fault or negligence on the part of Respondent, and therefore no penalty (such as suspension or ineligibility) was imposed.
