World Rugby 2017 WR vs Aaron Davis

Related case:
World Rugby 2017 Aaron Davis vs WR – Appeal
July 19, 2018

In March 2017 World Rugby has reported an anti-doping rule violations against the American rugby player Aaron Davis after his A and B samples tested positive for the prohibited substance 19-norandrosterone (Nandrolone). After notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and he was heard for the World Rugby Judicial Committee.

The Athlete admitted the violation, denied the intentional use and requested for a reduced sanction. He asserted that the violation was inadvertent and was caused by his use of a contaminated multi-vitamin/multi-mineral product called “Animal Pak”.

Much of the evidence and the submissions received at the hearing concerned the possibility of the Animal Pak supplement being contaminated. Expert testimony was tendered by both the Athlete and World Rugby and evidence was also received from an executive of the manufacturer of Animal Pak.

World Rugby requested for a sanction of 4 years and contended that the violation was intentional since the Athlete failed to establish that product Animal Pak was the source of his positive test.

The Committee established that neither the Montreal Lab or the Salt Lake City Lab found any 19-norandrosterone or other Nandrolone substance in their analysis of the product Animal Pak. As a consequence the Committee finds that the Athlete has failed to establish, on a balance of probabilities, that his positive test was caused by a contaminated supplement or that his anti-doping rule violation was not intentional.

Further the Committee holds that the Athlete was engaged in conduct which he knew constituted an anti-doping rule violation or knew that there was a significant risk that the conduct might constitute or result in an anti-doping rule violation and manifestly disregarded that risk.

Therefore the World Rugby Judicial Committee decides on 27 November 2017 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 16 March 2017.

Original document

Parameters

Legal Source
Decisions International Federations
Date
27 November 2017
Arbitrator
Mew, Graeme
Mountjoy, Margo
Stewart, Nicholas
Original Source
Rugby Football Union (RFU)
Country
United States of America
Language
English
ADRV
Adverse Analytical Finding / presence
Legal Terms
Burdens and standards of proof
Case law / jurisprudence
Circumstantial evidence
Substantial delay / lapsed time limit
Sport/IFs
Rugby (WR) - World Rugby
Laboratories
Montreal, Canada: Laboratoire de controle du dopage INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier
Salt Lake City, USA: The Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory (SMRTL)
Analytical aspects
B sample analysis
Doping classes
S1. Anabolic Agents
Substances
19-norandrosterone
Nandrolone (19-nortestosterone)
Various
Contamination
Supplements
Document type
Pdf file
Date generated
15 May 2019
Date of last modification
29 April 2020
Category
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  • Education
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  • Statistics
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Country & language
  • Country
  • Language
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  • ADRV
  • Legal Terms
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  • Laboratories
  • Analytical aspects
  • Doping classes
  • Substances
  • Medical terms
  • Various
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  • Document category
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Origin