In November 2015 the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Athlete J-4079 (the Athlete) after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance oxilofrine. After notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and he was heard for the Japan Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel.
The Athlete denied the intentional use of doping and stated that he had purchased on the internet the supplement SP250. He had researched the ingredients of the product before using and he mentioned the use of the supplement on the Doping Control Form. The Athlete assumed that the supplement was safe because the sales and import agency of the supplement manufacturer was an official sponsor of the Japan Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation (JBBF) and one of the directors of the agency was connected to the JBBF and the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC).
The Panel finds that such supplements have a warning label and the Athlete was already informed by his Sports Federation about the risks with supplements purchased on the internet. Also the information on the internet about the supplement - provided by the sales and import agency as connected to the JBBF and JOC - is not a guarantee that these supplements don’t contain a prohibited substance.
The Athlete argued that these warning labels were not applied on the supplements he used in the past.
Considering the circumstances the Japan Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel decides on 16 March 2016 to impose a 2 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the provisional suspension i.e. on 5 November 2015.
