In June 2014 the Irish Sports Council (ISC) has reported an Anti-Doping Rule Violation against the Athlete IS-3456 (the Athlete) after his A and B samples tested positive for the prohibited substance clenbuterol.
The Athlete stated that he had mentioned on the doping control form the use of certain prescribed or non-prescribed medications and/or supplements within the previous 14 days.
The Athlete claimed that the positive test result was caused by the consumption of imported contaminated meat. He had heard from a customerr in his butcher shop that the meat was imported and not produced in Ireland. In support of his claim the Athlete produced the test results of a laboratory indicating the presence of the prohibited substance in the meat from his butcher.
The Panel concudes that the meat samples were bought from his butcher and were delivered directly to the lab. However he failed to produce the receipts from his butcher. The bags from the butcher were not identical to the bags delivered at the laboratory. Also the test results from the laboratory had a fault due to the level of clenbuterol was lower as calculated. Other tests showed there was no clenbuterol in the meat of the butcher. Also the butcher stated that his meat is produced in Ireland and therefore the chance of contamination is smaller because of the strict meat control in Ireland.
Considering the results of the investigations from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland the Panel rules that the Athlete failed to prove the contamination of the meat and instead that the Athlete had made false statements.
Also the Athlete had participated in a cycling event under the Rules of Cycling Ireland after the provisional suspension was ordered. With aggravating circumstances the Panel decides on 27 July 2015 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete.
