Facts
Following the match played on 10th May 2008 between Upolu Samoa and Savai'i in the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup Tournament 2008 Muliufi Salanoa (the player) during in-competition testing, provided a urine sample which subsequently tested positive for the substance Salbutamol. Salbutamol is classified under S.3 of the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) 2008 List of Prohibited Substances.
History
During the morning of 10th May 2008 before the match played between Upolu Samoa (which he was scheduled to captain for the first time) and Savai'i, due to "anxiety and nervousness" (his words), he experienced shortness of breath. As a child, he had suffered from asthma but he had not experienced shortness of breath since he was 12 and because of this was unable to produce any medical documentary material verifying that he previously suffered from asthma. He did not have a current TUE for asthma. Because of his condition and without a medical prescription, the player then obtained from Evile Telea (a team mate and, the Board Judicial Committee ( BJC), was told, a qualified pharmacist) two tablets which were immediately taken orally in the latter's presence. When tested, the player informed the testing officer that he had taken an unknown tablet(s) for asthma. Mr Telea confirmed he gave the player two salbutamol (also known as Ventolin) tablets and they were taken
in his presence.
Decision
The sanction imposed for this anti-doping rule violation is a period of ineligibility of two years commencing from 7th July 2008 (the date upon which the player's provisions suspension commenced)
and concluding (but not inclusive of) 7th July 2010.
