In December 2023 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Uzbek Athlete Sitora Khamidova after her sample tested positive for the prohibited substances Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, Heptaminol and Octopamine.

Following notification the Athlete timely admitted the violation, waived her right for a hearing, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by the AIU. She also signed and submitted the Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form.

The Athlete denied the intentional use of the substances and assumed that the products she had used were contaminated. She explained which supplements and medication she had used, although prior she had not mentioned these products on the Doping Control Form.

In February 2024 the Athlete's Coach admitted that he had purchased supplements and sport drinks that possibly contained these prohibited substances. He denied that he had acted intentionally, nor that he was aware that these products contained these banned substances.

The AIU deems that both the Athlete and the Coach failed to demonstrate with corroborating evidence that these products contained the prohibited substance. They also failed to establish that the violations were not intentional.

Furthermore the AIU finds that there are aggravating circumstances present in this case because the Athlete had used multiple banned substances. Due to she had signed and submitted the Acceptance of Consequences Form she received a 1 year reduction from the AIU.

Therefore the AIU decides on 6 March 2024 to impose a 5 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 14 December 2023.

In July 2023 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Kenya Athlete Purity Temutai Komen after her sample, collected in October 2022, tested positive for the prohibited substances 19-norandrosterone and 19-noretiocholanolone (Nandrolone).

In addition the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) had reported to the AIU that the Athlete had evaded Doping Control in May 2023 during several attempts by their Doping Control Officers to locate the Athlete for testing.

Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered by the AIU. At first the Athlete responded, yet thereupon she failed to submit any explanation to the AIU for the alleged anti-doping rule violations.

Because she did not respond within the set deadline the AIU determines in February 2024 that the Athlete was deemed to have waived her right for a hearing and accepted the consequences. In addition the AIU establishes that she had had failed to sign and submit the Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance of Consequences Form.

Furthermore the AIU finds that there are aggravating circumstances present in this case because the Athlete had committed multiple anti-doping rule violations. Finally these violations are considered together as one first anti-doping rule violation.

Therefore the AIU decides on 5 March 2024 to impose a 6 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 6 July 2023.

In February 2024 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Spanish Athlete Mohamed Katir for his Whereabouts Filing Failures and Missed Tests within a 12 month period:

• a Filing Failure on 28 February 2023;
• a Missed Test / Filing Failure on 3 April 2023;
• a Missed Test / Filing Failure on 10 October 2023.

Regarding the first Whereabouts Filing Failure in February 2023 the Athlete explained that he had received a call from his fiancée that she was feeling unwell. He immediately booked a flight to Portugal and updated his Whereabouts information.

Regarding his failure in April 2023 the Athlete explained that during the days before the Mssed Test multiple times he could not update his Whereabouts information in ADAMS due to technical problems with his App.

After the Missed Test in October 2023 he stated that he was surprised to see that his 60-minute time slot was set between 19:20 and 20:20. He asserted that there must have been a system error as prior he had set his 60 minutes time slot between 07:00 and 08:00 uur.

The AIU assessed and addressed the Athlete's explanations and evidence and made the following conclusions:

• The Athlete's flight to Portugal in February 2023 was booked 2 days before his departure and not last minute as claimed by the Athlete.
• He did not timely update his Whereabouts in February 2023 and provided inaccurate information.
• At the material time in April 2023 there had been no technical problems with ADAMS, nor were multiple log in attempts recorded.
• Before the Missed Test in April 2023 his updates in ADAMS were inaccurate and incomplete.
• On the day of the Missed Test in April 2023 he updated his Whereabouts 20 minutes after the arrival of the Doping Control Officer (DCO) and not prior to his 60-minutes timeslot in ADAMS as claimed.
• In October 2023 he had changed his 60-minutes time slot in ADAMS after the DCO had concluded his attempt to locate the Athlete.

Ultimately the Athlete admitted the anti-doping rule violation and signed and submitted an Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violation and Acceptance of Consequences Form.

Therefore on 16 February 2024 the AIU decides to impose a 2 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 7 February 2024.

In June 2023 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Lithuanian Athlete Zita Kosač after her sample tested positive for the prohibited substances Mestanolone, Methasterone and Oxymetholone.

Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered and the Athlete filed a statement in her defence. She believed that her supplement was the source of the prohibited substances.

With approval of the AIU the Athlete provided an open container of this supplement and a sealed container (from a different batch) to the Warshaw Lab for testing. Thereupon analysis in the Lab confirmed the presence of these prohibited substances in both containers of this supplement.

The Athlete asserted that the supplement was the source of the prohibited substances and that she had mentioned this product on the Doping Control Form. Ultimately in February 2024 she signed and submitted an Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations and Acceptance Form. 

In view of the evidence the AIU accepts that the Athlete's violation was not intentional and that she demonstrated how the substances had entered her system. The AIU determines that she acted with No Significant Fault or Negligence.

Further the AIU considers that the prohibited substances were not mentioned on the product label of this supplement and that she had participated into a Marathon in September 2023 during the provisional suspension.

Therefore the AIU decides on 16 February 2024 to impose a 6 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting backdated on 25 July 2023.

Related case:

SAIDS 2022_41 SAIDS vs Thomas William Oosthuizen
June 23, 2023

On 23 June 2023 the SAIDS Anti-Doping Tribunal decided to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the boxer Thomas William Oosthuizen for his refusal or failure to submit to sample collection.

On 16 October 2022 the Athlete was selected to submit to sample collection. Yet, he only provided 2 partial invalid samples and thereafter failed to produce an additional 3rd valid sample. Although the Bloemfontein Laboratory established no prohibted substances in the Athlete's samples they were deemed to be invalid.

Hereafter the Athlete appealed the Tribunal decision with the SAIDS Appeal Board. He reguested the Appeal Board to set aside the Appealed Decision and to impose a reduced sanction.

The Athlete asserted that he gave his full cooperation and denied that he had refused to provide a third sample. His samples tested clean and also he was not ever warned of the consequences of his refusal by the Doping Control Officers in term of the ADR.

SAIDS contended that the Athlete had no compelling justification for not submitting and/or completing the sample collection session on the day of the boxing event. The fact remains that he refused to provide a third valid sample as requested.

The Panel finds that it is undisputed that the Athlete's samples did not contain any prohibited substances. Yet, the Athlete failed to submit a third sample and accordingly committed an anti-doping rule violation.

In view of the evidence the Panel accepts that the violation was not intentional. The Panel determines that the Athlete had been negligent and that there are grounds for a reduced sanction.

Therefore the SAIDS Appeal Board decides on 13 February 2024 to uphold the Athlete's appeal and to impose a 2 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the Decision, i.e. 23 June 2023.

In November 2023 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping violation against the Indian Athlete Kumari Rachna after her A and B samples - collected in September 2023 - tested positive for the prohibited substances Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, Metandienone and Stanozolol.

Additionally in December 2023 the India National Anti-Doping Agency (INADA) reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Athlete when her sample - collected in November 2023 - tested positive for Clenbuterol. Thereupon this case was transferred by INADA to the AIU.

Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered by the AIU. Hereafter the Athlete failed to respond at all or to provide any information to the AIU.

The AIU establishes that this is the Athlete's second anti-doping rule violation as she had served a sanction of 4 years until 17 March 2019 for the presence of Metenolone in her sample. Furthermore the AIU determines that there are aggravating circumstances in this case since the Athlete had used multiple prohibited substances on multiple occasions.

Because the Athlete failed to respond in February 2024 the AIU finds that she is deemed to have waived her right for a hearing, admitted the anti-doping rule violations and accepted the consequences.

Therefore the AIU decides on 13 February 2024 to impose a 12 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 24 November 2023.

Related case:

IAAF 2019 IAAF vs Sarah Chepchirchir
November 28, 2019

In December 2023 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Kenyan Athlete Sarah Chepchirchir after her sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Testosterone.

Previously the Athlete had served a sanction of 4 years, until 9 February 2023, because of the abnormalities in her Athlete Biological Passport.

Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The AIU established that this is the Athlete's second anti-doping rule violation and that she failed at all to respond at all or to provide any information to the AIU.

Because of the Athlete's failure to respond within the set deadline the AIU in February 2024 determines that she was deemed to have waived her right to a hearing, to have admitted the anti-doping rule violation and to have accepted the consequences.

Therefor the AIU decides on 13 February 2024 to impose an 8 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 22 December 2023.

In September 2023 the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) reported an anti-doping rule violation against the softball player Mitchell McKay after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Pseudoephedrine in a concentration above the WADA threshold.

After notification the Athlete gave a prompt admission, waived his right for a hearing, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by CCES.

The Athlete provided an explanation for the positive test and signed an Agreement on Consequences in January 2024. CCES accepted that the violation was not intentional and considered that he acted with a degree of fault.

Therefore CCES decides on 12 February 2024 to impose an 18 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 7 September 2023.

In July 2023 the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), on behalf of World Athletics, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Kenyan Athlete Charles Karanja Kamau after his sample tested positive for Testosterone and its metabolites.

Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered and he was heard for the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal.

In this case there were delays attributed to the Athlete. He failed to communicate properly with his pro bono counsel, nor did he file a statement in his defence within the set deadline.

The Athlete accepted the test result and denied the intentional use of the substance. He stated that he only had used medication and supplements which he had mentioned on the Doping Control Form.

The Athlete acknowledged that he had not checked his supplements for banned substances, nor had he consulted experts in this matter. For his supplements he followed the recommendations from his manager, a friend and a nutritionist.

The AIU requested the Tribunal to impose a sanction of 4 years and contended that the Athlete had failed to demonstrate the source of the prohibited substance. Furthermore the AIU considered that the Athlete's supplements did not contain Testosterone, neither were these supplements tested.

The Sole Arbitrator finds that the presence of a prohibited substance has been established in the Athlete's sample and accordingly that he had committed an anti-doping rule violation.

In view of the evidence and the Athlete's conduct in this case the Sole Arbitrator deems that the Athlete failed to demonstrate  that the violation was not intentional. He also deems that he acted negligently with the supplements.

Therefore the Disciplinary Tribunal decides on 12 February 2024 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 4 July 2023.

iNADO Update (2024) 01/02 (5 February)
Institute of National Anti-Doping Organisations (iNADO)

Contents:

Building a Supportive Community

• Overview of Member Needs
• Recent Basecamp discussions

Improving Practice Everywhere

• Annual General Assembly (AGA) Registration Invitation (Only iNADO Members) 
• 2024 iNADO Annual Workshop Registration Invitation
• Summary Bird & Bird  webinar 
• Annual banned substance Review 2022/2023 by the Cologne Laboratory

Speaking Up For NADOs & RADO Globally

• New Head of AMADA and EGY-NADO
• iNADO Board Elections for the Term 2024 - 2027
• Resignation of iNADO CEO 
• Overview of NADO staff members in WADA working groups and committees
• EPO report & false negatives
  Guiding Principles
• New Signatories and Invitation to sign the Guiding Principles 

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