In March 2017 the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Joseph Stokes after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance cocaine. After notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and both parties requested for a decision rendered from the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) based on the written proceeding.
The Athlete admitted the violation, denied the intentional use of the substance and stated that he was surprised that he had tested positive. He asserted that there was confusion and irregularities in the testing, labeling and completion of the Doping Control Form and there was the potential for the mixing of his sample with that of others. Also the Athlete suggested that he would have ingested cocaine through counting bank notes with possible containing traces of cocaine at a fundraising effort he attended.
The RFU accepted that the violation was not intentional and objected to the Athlete’s assertion that there has been a prompt admission.
The Panel agrees that the violation was not intentional and that a prompt admission wasn’t made by the Athlete under the Rules. Therefor the NADP decides on 3 November 2017 to impose a 2 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 31 March 2017.
