Mr. Jim Manion at the time of the events was the President of the National Physique Committee (NPA) in the USA and the Area Vice President for North America for the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB).
In October 2017 the IFBB reported multiple anti-doping rule violations against Mr Manion for complicity. The IFBB contested that Mr Manion abetted the participation in the NPC sanctioned events of athletes that violated the prohibition against participation during ineligibility:
1.) The Korean athletes Jang Sung Yong, Lee Yae Lin and Wong Jong Seub participated in the 'Phil Heath Classic', held in Houston Texas on 28 March 2015, while serving their ineligibility period imposed by the Koran Anti-Doping Agency (KADA).
2.) The Ecuadorian athlete Josè Castillo participated in the 'Miami Muscle Beach Championships' held in Miami Florida on 10 June 2017 while serving his ineligibility period imposed on him by the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF).
The IFBB Anti Doping Commission established that Mr Manion has not contested at all the charge: he failed to provide any communication, explanation and/or defences about the violation communicated to him by the IFBB in October 2017. The Commission deems that the violations shall be considered together as one single first violation.
Accordingly the IFBB Anti Doping Commission decides on 30 November 2017 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on Mr Manion starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 9 October 2017. His name is included in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited Association List.