In February 2018 United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player James Duerden after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substances 19-norandrosterone (Nandrolone) and Drostanolone. The Athlete gave a prompt admission and without a hearing he accepted the test results, a provisional suspension, and the sanction rendered by UKAD.
The Athlete denied the intentional use of the substances but he could not explain how these entered his system. He suggested that it occurred in November 2017 when a substance provided by a friend was administered via an injection. Without evidence he believed that this substance was a non-steriodal anti-inflammatory that was contaminated or otherwise contained Nandrolone and Drostanolone.
UKAD did not accept the Athlete’s statement and finds that he failed to establish how the substances entered his system or that the violation was not intentional. UKAD considers that the Athlete gave a prompt admission and decides on 24 December 2018 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the sample collection, i.e. on 14 December 2017.
