Facts
The International Rugby Board (IRB) alleges Sireli Naqelevuki (the player) for a violation of the Anti-Doping Rules. The player provided an urine sample in the course of a doping control test taken in George, South Africa, following the Fiji vs New Zealand match on the 9th December 2006, the sample contained 11-nor-delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid a metabolite of cannabis (cannabinoids) at a concentration greater than the threshold level set by the World Anti-Doping Agency ("WADA").
History
The player stated that on the 13th November 2006 over a period of two to three hours, he smoked "two joints" of cannabis with two others (including one "old friend') following a particularly traumatic and difficult period in his life. At the time it was used there was no intention on the Player's part to enhance performance but that irresponsibly it was consumed for a recreational purpose. During this period he had been detained over the preceding period of twentyeight days at Fiji Naval Bases on a charge of being absent without leave from the Fiji Navy between July and October 2006 when he had played rugby for Western Province in the South African Currie Cup competition.
Decision
The sanction for this offending should be a four month period of suspension but allowing for the mitigating factors, that period will be reduced to three months.
