In January 2022 the International Tennis Federation (ITF) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Russian tennis player Angelina Zhuravleva after her sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Arimistane.
Following notification the Athlete accepted a provisional suspension. She opened an investigation into the source and filed a statement in her defence. The Athlete denied the intentional use of the substance and claimed that the supplement she had used was the possible source of the substance.
With corroborating evidence the Athlete demonstrated the purchase of this supplement and on how she had checked this product for prohibited substances. However shipping to and analysis of this supplement in the Montreal Laboratory was not possible because FedEx and DHL had ceased their activities in Russia.
Only after months, with assistance of RUSADA, this supplement was analysed in the Moscow Laboratory. Finally in January 2023 the Moscow Laboratory confirmed the presence of Arimistane contaminants in this supplement.
In view of the evidence and the test results of the Moscow Laboratory ITF accepts that a contaminated supplement was the source of the prohibited substance Arimistane. The ITF deems that the Athlete's violation was not intentional and that she bears No Significant Fault or Negligence.
Thereupon in February 2023 the Athlete formally admitted the violation, waived her right for a hearing and accepted the sanction proposed by ITF.
Therefore the ITF decides on 13 March 2023 to impose a 1 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 28 January 2022.
