CAS 2019/A/6110 Liam Cameron v. UK Anti-Doping Limited (UKAD)
Related case:
UKAD 2018 UKAD vs Liam Cameron
December 19, 2019
On 19 December 2018 the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) decided to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the boxer Liam Cameron after he tested positive for the prohibited substance Cocaine. Here the Panel dismissed the Athlete’s claim that the positive test was the result of his contact with large amounts of bank notes contaminated with Cocaine.
Hereafter in January 2019 the Athlete appealed the NADP decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The Athlete requested the Panel to set aside the Decision of 19 December 2018 and to impose a reduced sanction.
The Athlete had admitted the violation, denied the intentional use of the substance and he disputed the findings in de appealed Decision. He asserted that in First Instance the Panel failed to maintain an open mind and that it was dismissive and disdainful of the points raised by the Athlete.
The Sole Arbitrator establish that the there is no objective evidence to support the Athlete’s assertion that he unintentionally ingested Cocaine by way of contamination from banknotes and surfaces in public houses. There is also no evidence to support a finding that banknotes and surfaces in public houses in the Athlete’s city contain a higher than average amount of cocaine in comparison to other parts of the United Kingdom or elsewhere. Consequently the Sole Arbitrator concludes that the Athlete failed to establish that the violation was not intentional and accordingly that the Athlete’s appeal must be dismissed.
Therefore the Court of Arbitration for Sport decides on 30 December 2019 that:
1.) The appeal filed by Liam Cameron against the decision of 19 December 2018 rendered by the Anti-Doping Tribunal constituted under Article 8.1 of the UK Anti-Doping Rules, is dismissed.
2.) The decision of 19 December 2018 rendered by the Anti-Doping Tribunal constituted under Article 8.1 UKADR is confirmed.
3.) The costs of this arbitration, to be determined and served on the parties by the CAS Court Office, shall be borne by the parties in equal proportions.
4.) Each party shall bear its own costs and other expenses incurred in connection with this arbitration.
5.) All further requests for relief are dismissed.
