In July 2020 the International Tennis Federation (ITF) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Salvadorian tennis player Alejandro Licea (16) after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substace Clostebol.
After notification the minor Athlete gave a prompt admission, waived his right for a hearing, accepted a provisional suspenson and the sanction proposed by the ITF.
The Athlete explained with medical evidence that in January 2020 he underwent medical treatment for wounds he had sustained to his hands and fingers and used prescribed Neobol spray. He was unaware that the Neobol spray contained Clostebol and he used it daily until his wounds had healed until the end of February.
He didn't mention the Neobol spray on the Doping Control Form since he already had stopped using the spray 7 days before the sample collection. The physician who prescribed the Neobol spray knew the Athlete was a tennis player while the Athlete advised two coaches of his injury and the Neobol treatment but neither coach told him that the Neobol might contain a prohibited substance.
The ITF accepts that the violation was not intentional and that the Athlete demonstrated how the prohibited substance entered his system. It concludes that the Athlete bears only a light degree of fault and considers that he gave a prompt admission and that he is an inexperienced minor Athlete that prior had not received anti-doping education.
Therefore the ITF decides on 5 November 2020 to impose a 14 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the sample collection, i.e. on 7 March 2020.
