Facts
The International Rugby Board (IRB) alleges Keith Gurusinghe, Evanga Swarnathilake and Saliya Kumara (the players) for violations of the Anti-Doping Rules. Samples were provided during in-competition testing conducted by the IRB after Sri Lanka’s Match against UAE on 23 April 2011 in the case of Kumara and, in the cases of Gurusinghe and Swarnathilake, pursuant to In
Competition testing conducted by the IRB after Sri Lanka’s Match against Hong Kong on 7 May 2011.
History
This case involves three rugby players who used what they thought was a “creatine” type dietary supplement. No attempt was made by them to verify that the supplement did not contain any Prohibited Substances. They all subsequently failed drug tests. They blame the supplement and their lack of anti-doping knowledge for this.
Decision
On 23 April 2011 in the case of Kumara and 7 May 2011 in the cases of Gurusinghe and Swarnathilake, each of the Players committed an anti-doping rule violation, namely, the presence in his bodily Sample of Methylhexaneamine. Methylhexaneamine is a Prohibited Substance under both Regulation 21 and the WADA Code.
The sanction imposed for this anti-doping rule violation is a period of Ineligibility of 9 months for each of the Players, commencing on 3 June 2011 (the date upon which the Player was notified of the adverse analytical finding and provisionally suspended) and concluding on (but inclusive of) 2 March 2012.
Costs
Written submissions should be provided on time.
