In September 2019, United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) was informed by Law Enforcement that the rugby player Christopher Mayor was involved in the use and traffic of 72iu Lilly Pen, i.e. Human Growth Hormone (hGH).
After notification in November 2019 a provisional suspension was ordered and the Athlete was heard by UKAD. The Athlete confirmed that in the captured Facebook messages he had been interested in the purchase of hGH. Thereupon the case was referred to the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP).
The Athlete denied that he ever had possessed, used or trafficked any prohibited substance. He only acknowledged that in the Facebook messages he had shown his interest in the purchase of hGH to assist his father suffering from a knee injury. He was aware that hGH is a prohibited substance whereas he alleged that this attempt occurred in a context unrelated to sport enhancement.
The RFU acknowledged that there was no evidence that the Athlete indeed had purchased hGH. Yet, the Athlete's Facebook messages addressed to the other person showed that he attempted to purchase hGH. He asked for a specific product 72iu Lilly Pen that won't easy surface in a brief internet research. Further he had a longstanding relationship with the other person and he had just started pre-season training with a new club while he had to improve his level of fitness.
In view of the Facebook messages the Panel does not accept that the Athlete indeed had purchased 72iu Lilly Pen nor that the trafficking of the substance had been established. The Panel however concludes that the Athlete took substantial steps in his attempts to use and traffick the prohibited substance.
Therefore the National Anti-Doping Panel deems on 20 May 2022 that the Athlete had committed anti-doping rule violations in his attempt to use and traffick a prohibited substance.
Following the written submissions of the parties on sanction the National Anti-Doping Panel decides on 22 June 2022 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 8 November 2021.