In April 2018 United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Thomas Minns after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Cocaine. The Athlete gave a prompt admission and without a hearing he accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction rendered by UKAD.
The Athlete admitted the violation and denied the intentional use of the substance. He stated that the use of Cocaine Out-of-Competition in a context unrelated to sport persformce. He explained with evidence that he had used the substance because he was suffering from three conditions including a depressive illness leading to cognitive impairment.
At UKAD’s request a psychiatrist confirmed the medical diagnoses and the London Lab reported that the test results showed that the Athlete’s use of Cocaine was more likely than not to have occurred more than 12 hours before the match, i.e. Out-of-Competition. As a result UKAD accepts the Athlete’s explanation that the violation was not intentional.
Further UKAD holds that the Athlete gave a promt admission in this case and that there were delays in the proceedings not attributed to the Athlete. UKAD considers the Athlete’s degree of fault and that he established No Significant Fault or Negligence with grounds for a reduced sanction. Therefore UKAD decides on 24 December 2018 to impose a 16 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the sample collection, i.e. on 15 March 2018.
