In August 2019 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of World Athletics has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Belarussian Athlete Marina Arzamasova after her A and B samples tested positive for the prohibited substance LGD-4033 (ligandrol).
After notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in her defence and she was heard for the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal. The Athlete denied the intentional use of the substance and asserted with evidence that the positive test was the result of contaminated supplements she had used.
Analysis of her supplements in the Minsk Lab revealed the presence of LGD-4033 in 3 samples out of 6 samples of nutritional supplements. In addition the Lausanne Lab confirmed that LGD-4033 was found in the 3 bottles of the supplement she claimed she had had used in the months prior to the sample collection.
The AIU requested the Panel to impose a 4 year period of ineligibiltiy and contended that the Athlete failed to establish that the violation was not intentional, neither how the prohibited substance had entered her system or the source of the positive test. The AIU deemed that the Athlete provided no evidence she had purchased the ingested contaminated supplement Epic Labs BCAA.
In addition the AIU argued that the Athlete failed to mention this supplement on the Doping Control Form even though she meticulously listed a number of other medication and suppements on this Form. Also the concentrations of LGD-4033 found in her samples were not consistent with the claimed daily use of the contaminated supplement.
Considering the circumstances and evidence in the case the Panel concludes that Athlete failed to establish on a balance of probabilities not only te existence and intake of a contaminated supplement, but also the causal link between the ingestion of such supplement and the positive test results.
The Panel was not persuaded that the Athlete indeed used the contaminated supplement and, even if that was the case, that the positive test could haven been caused by the ingestion of this contaminated supplement. She failed to mention the supplements on her Doping Control Form nor provided evidence of purchase of these supplements.
Further the Panel agrees that the concentration levels of LGD-4033 found in the Athlete's samples were not consistent with a contamination scenario. Finally the Panel considers that there were substantial delays in the hearing process not attributed to the Athlete.
Therefore the Panel decides on 27 November 2020 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting backdated on the date of the sample collection, i.e. on 29 July 2019.
