In February 2019 the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the American boxer Ryan Martin after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Testosterone. After notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and he was heard for the National Anti-Doping Panel.
In this case the sample taken by UKAD originally tested negative, wheras the sample of the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA), and UKAD’s re-testing, returned a positive test result. After an investigation the World Boxing Council (WBC) decided on 25 March 2019 to impose a suspension of 6 months on the Athlete, a probation of 1 year and a fine related to the supplements the Athlete had used.
The Athlete gave a prompt admission, accepted the test result, denied the intentional use of the substance and requested for a reduced sanction. He asserted that his use of contaminated supplements or another body had caused the positive test and that he was tested before without issues.
The Panel finds that the Athlete’s test result established the presence of a prohibited substance in his sample and accordingly that he had committed an anti-doping rule violation. Considering the Athlete’s conduct in this case the Panel concludes that he failed to establish that the violation was not intentional nor establish No Fault or Negligence / No Significant Fault or Negligence.
The Panel deems that the Athlete failed to satisfy the Panel that it was more likely than not that one or more supplements were indeed the means of ingestion. The Panel finds that he had in fact done nothing to assist UKAD’s investigation and had not even provided the name of any of those supplements, let alone explained how, where and in what circumstances he had obtained them.
Therefore the National Anti-Doping Panel decides on 28 October 2019 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the sample collection, i.e. on 3 November 2018.
