In November 2015 the South African Institute for Drugfree Sport (SAIDS) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the ice hockey player George Lyon after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Methylhexaneamine (dimethylpentylamine). After notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and waived his right to be heard for the SAIDS Anti-Doping Hearing Panel.
The Athlete did not admit the anti-doping violation and he denied the intentional use of the prohibited substance. The Athlete asserted that he checked the products before he used them and argued that the supplements and fat burner he had used didn’t mention on the label they contained the prohibited substance.
SAIDS did not accept the Athlete’s statement and contended that the Athlete’s statement is not truthful throught the lack of evidence and witnesses.
The Panel finds that SAIDS tried to discredit the Athlete and failed to call witnesses or to provide any other evidence in support of such an approach. The Panel concludes that the Athlete’s testimony is reasonably probable and truthful, in order to reasonably assume on the balance of probability that the violation was not intentional and that the Athlete’s fat burner was the likely source of the positive test.
Considering the circumstance and the Athlete’s degree of fault in this case the SAIDS Anti-Doping Hearing Panel decides on 30 March 2016 to impose a 1 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 16 November 2015.
