In June 2019 the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the amateur rugby player Henry Hadfiel after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Higenamine. 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.
The Athlete gave a prompt admission and denied the intentional use of the substance. He stated that the source of the positive test was the supplement Black Magic BZRK which was recommended by a close friend who run a supplement business. He had mentioned this supplement on the Doping Control Form and acknowledged that he didn’t read the label of this product that clearly indicated the substance Higenamine as ingredient. If he had done so, the ingredient would have meant nothing to him since his knowledge about performance enhancing drugs was minimal and had never received anti-doping education.
The Athlete’s friend testified and confirmed that he had provided this supplement and was unaware the it contained a prohibited substance. If he had known this, he would never have recommended it to the Athlete.
The RFU concluded that the violation was not intentional and that there are no grounds for No Significant Fault or Negligence because the Athlete had taken no steps at all to check that what he was using did not contain a prohibited substance.
The Panel establish that the Athlete gave a prompt admission, that the violation was not intentional and that there are no grounds for No Significant Fault or Negligence. The Panel considers that the Athlete made no check at all on the supplement in question. He didn’t even read the label or take any step at all to check whether the supplement contained a prohibited substance.
Therefore the National Anti-Doping Panel decides on 25 October 2019 to impose a 2 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the sample collection, i.e. on 17 April 2019.
