Related cases:
- UKAD 2014 IHUK vs Nicky Watt
November 6, 2014 - UKAD 2014 Nicky Watt vs UKAD - Appeal
March 10, 2015
On 6 November 2014 the National Anti-Doping Panel decided to impose an 8 year period of ineligibility on the ice hocky player Nicky Watt for two anti-doping rule violations: refusal to submit to sample collection and the presence of the prohibited substance Stanazolol. Thereupon the Appealed Decision was confirmed on 10 March 2015 by the National Anti-Doping Appeal Tribunal.
Hereafter in July 2022 United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) reported that the Athlete had breached the imposed period of ineligibility. UKAD's investigations had established that the Athlete as a personal trainer had provided to Athletes general fitness training and off-ice sport specific ice hockey training.
Following notification the Athlete did not accept the sanction proposed by UKAD and the case was referred to the National Anti-Doping Panel.
UKAD contended, with corroborating evidence, that the Athlete multiple times had breached ineligibility between June 2014 and July 2020. UKAD finds that the provision of any fitness training, regardless of whether that training is specific or generic is sufficient to amount to a violation of the prohibition on participation provided the training is in respect of an Athlete.
The Athlete denied that he had violated ineligibility or otherwise that such violation was inadvertent. He argued that he genuinely believed that he was complying with the terms of his suspension and the ADR.
He admitted that at the material time he had provided general personal fitness training to Athletes as part of his personal training business. He denied that any training he provided was more than general fitness training or was ice hockey or sports specific.
In view of the evidence the Panel is comfortably satisfied that the provision of personal fitness and other training both amounted to assisting an Athlete. The Athlete provided specific speed and strenght training to the ice hockey players.
The Panel considers that the Athlete was not prohibited from carrying out his fitness business to non-athletes and that he did not know nor intended to breach the violation. Nevertheless the Panel determines that the Athlete was reckless and that this amounted to a repeated course of conduct.
Therefore the National Anti-Doping Panel decides on 19 April 2023 to impose an 18 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on 17 June 2022 until 17 December 2023.
