In May 2019 the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Ukrainian Athlete Kateryna Tabashnyk after her sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Hydrochlorothiazide. After notification the Athlete gave a prompt admission, waived her right for a hearing, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by the IAAF.
The Athlete denied the intentional use of the substance and explained that in March 2019 at a training camp in Turkey she underwent medical treatment from her team doctor for several diagnosed disorders and had used several prescribed medication. When the team doctor had left Turkey to return to Ukraine the Athlete’s symptoms persisted. Her coach went to a local pharmacy in Turkey and purchased additional medicine beyond those provided by the team doctor to treat the Athlete’s symptoms, specifically the product Micardis Plus containing the prohibited substance. The Athlete acknowledged that she didn’t check the label or the packaging of the Micardis Plus before using it.
The IAAF accepts that the violation was not intentional and that the Athlete demonstrated how the substance entered her system. The IAAF further considers that the highly experienced International-Level Athlete had self-diagnosed and self-medicated blood pressure problems, had failed to read the label, nor conduced any internet search of the product before using. The IAAF determines that her subjective level of Fault is at the low to middle end of the significant/considerable degree of Fault and that the period of ineligibility should be set slightly below the normal degree of 20 months.
Therefore the IAAF decides on 13 January 2020 to impose a 19 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the sample collection, i.e. on 28 March 2019.
