In October 2016 United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Athlete Michael Ellerton after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substances prednisolone and prednisone. After notification a provisional suspension was ordered and the Athlete filed a statement in his defence.
The Athlete gave a prompt admission and explained the presence of prednisolone and prednisone to his oral ingestion of the medication of a friend in order to treat mouth ulcers. He used the medication without undertaking any research into its ingredients or any further checks. He stated that he had ingested the medication around five days before the Event and provided details of his dosage. UKAD obtained scientific evidence that corroborated the timing and dosage of the Athlete’s ingestion of his friend’s medication.
UKAD accepted that the Athlete has not acted intentionally and invited the Athlete to apply for a retroactive TUE. The TUE Committee rejected in November 2016 the application due to the fact that the Athlete had self-medicated using another person’s prescription medication.
Without a valid TUE UKAD considers the Athlete’s prompt admission and degree of fault in this case and decides on 24 February 2017 to impose a 2 year period of ineligibility starting on the date of the sample collection, i.e. on 11 September 2016.
