In August 2017 the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Greek Athlete Despoina Zapounidou after her sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Recombinant Erythropoietin (rhEPO). After notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in her defence and she was heard for the IAAF Disciplinary Tribunal.
The Athlete disputed with an expert witness the validity of the test results due to a departure of the ISL. However the Tribunal rejects the evidence produced by the Athlete and finds that an anti-doping rule violation has been established to the Tribunal's comfortable satisfaction. The Tribunal deems that the Athlete failed to demonstrate that the violation was not intentional nor how the substance entered her system.
The Tribunal holds that it is well known that EPO, where exogenous, can only be administered by injection and the Tribunal considers it would be surprising, though not impossible, that the person to whom such an injection was administered could be unaware of it.
Therefore the Tribunal decides on 19 April 2018 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 23 August 2017.
