Related case:
ST 2017_05 DFSNZ vs Gareth Dawson
December 15, 2017
Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Respondent Gareth Dawson after his A and B samples tested positive for the prohibited substance tamoxifen. After notification a provisional suspension was ordered. Respondent filed a statement in his defence and was heard for the Tribunal.
Respondent admitted the violation. He developed a medical condition in 2011, which was sore and annoying when competing, and went to a doctor in Timaru who diagnosed the condition but didn’t prescribe treatment. The condition went away for 18 months then returned. In 2013 Mr Dawson researched the condition online, saw references to tamoxifen as a treatment and ordered tamoxifen tablets from an online pharmacy but didn’t receive them as they were intercepted in the mail by NZ Customs. When the tablets didn’t arrive he consulted a doctor in Invercargill where he was now living. He requested a “repeat prescription” of tamoxifen and was prescribed tamoxifen, which he later took. He said this was the source of the positive test.
The Tribunal was satisfied how the prohibited substance entered the Athlete’s body, that he didn’t intend to enhance his sports performance or mask the use of a performance enhancing substance and that it was obtained by prescription and taken to deal with a medical condition.
Therefore the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand decides to impose a 12 month period of ineligibility on the Respondent starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 15 May 2014.
