In December 2022 United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Joshua Hicks after his sample tested positive for multiple prohibited substances: Anastrozole, Drostanolone and Tamoxifen.

Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered and the Athlete admitted the violation. He stated that he had used the substances before the rugby season had begun while he was unaware that these substances were prohibited.

At first in March 2023 the Athlete did not accept the proposed sanction and the case was referred to the National Anti-Doping Panel. Ultimately in June 2023 he admitted the violation, waived his right for a hearing and accepted the sanction proposed by UKAD.

Therefore UKAD decides on 25 August 2023 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 16 December 2022.

In Januari 2022 the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Liam Jenkins after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Clenbuterol.

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

The Athlete asserted that the substance was used for weight loss. Because the Athlete gave a timely admission of the anti-doping rule violation he received a 1 year reduction from UKAD.

Therefore UKAD decides on 10 August 2022 to impose a 3 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 20 January 2022.

In May 2022 the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Luc Caines after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Cocaine.

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

The Athlete stated that he recreationally had used Cocaïn and UKAD accepts that the use of the substance occurred out-of-competition.

Because the Athlete was unable to undertake immediately a Substance of Abuse treatment program UKAD didn't reduce the sanction down to one month.

Therefore UKAD decides on 5 August 2022 to impose a 3 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 26 May 2022.

In February 2022 the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported anti-doping rule violations against the weightlifter Matthew Richardson for possession and attempted use of multiple prohibited substances: Clomifene, Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), Mesterolone and Tamoxifen.

In August 2020 the Athlete already gave to UKAD a prompt admissions, waived his right for a hearing, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by UKAD.

The Athlete fully admitted that in 2019 he had purchased multiple substances and that he knew that these substances were prohibited. He stated that eventially he had decided not to use these substances.

Therefore UKAD decides on 18 August 2022 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting backdated on 18 August 2020.

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.

Related cases:

• UKAD 2017 UKAD vs Rangi Chase
  November 1, 2017
• UKAD 2021 UKAD vs Rangi Chase
  February 14, 2022

In October 2022 the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported an new anti-doping rule violation against the New Zealand rugby player Rangi Chase after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Cocaine.

Following notification the Athlete admitted the violation, waived his right for a hearing, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by UKAD.

The Athlete acknowledged that he had used the substance out-of-competition and unrelated to sports performance prior to the match (within a social setting).

UKAD accepts that the Athlete’s violation was not intentional and considers that prevously he was also sanctioned in 2017 and in 2022 for his use of Cocaine. Despite these multiple violations UKAD deems that the applicable period of ineligibility shall be 3 months.

Therefore UKAD decides on 6 January 2023 to impose a 3 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 31 October 2022.

In September 2022 United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Robert Oakley after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substances Enobosarm (Ostarine), GW1516, LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) and RAD140.

Following notification the Athlete gave a prompt admission, waived his right for a hearing, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by UKAD. He stated that he had used Ostarine tablets he had purchased on the internet.

He explained that the Ostarine was used to recover from his injury and that he was unaware that Ostarine was a prohibited substance. He assumed that the other substances must have been contained in the Ostarine tablets he had used.

UKAD deemed that the violation was intentional and considers that the Athlete shall receive a 1 year reduction to the period of ineligibility for his timely admission of the anti-doping rule violation.

Therefore on 13 February 2023 UKAD decides to impose a 3 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting backdated on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 6 September 2022.

Related case:

UKAD 2023 Rowland Kaye vs UKAD - Appeal
April 26, 2023

In March 2022 the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Rowland Kaye after his A and B samples tested positive for metabolites of the prohibited substance Methasterone and/or Oxymetholone in a low concentration.

Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and he was heard for the National Anti-Doping Panel.

UKAD contended that the Athlete failed to demonstrate that the violation was not intentional and that he had acted negligently with the supplements he had used. Also he could not demonstrated with corroborating evidence how the substances had entered his system.

The Athlete accepted the test results, denied the intentional use of the substances and requested for a reduced sanction. He believed that the source of the metabolites was a contaminated supplement he had used.

He argued that the concentration of metabolites found in his samples was low and consistent with supplement contamination. Because of his fragile medical condition the use of doping would harm his health.

The Athlete asserted that he was hampered to find the source of the metabolites due to at the time of the delayed notification he had already disposed the containers of the supplements he had used after finishing the contents. Further he alleged that he received no assistance from UKAD to determine the source of the substances and his attempt to seek evidence from the manufacturers of suppements was unsuccesful.

In view of the evidence the Panel finds that the presence of  prohibited substances has been established in the Athlete's samples and accordingly he committed an anti-doping rule violation. Although the found concentration of the metabolites in the samples was low the Panel deems it does not point to contamination as the source.

The Panel agrees that there was some delay and a regrettable amount of time between the test and results notification. Nevertheless the Panel considers it unlikely that by the normal time taken for an analysis he also had consumed all relevant supplements and disposed of the containers.

Furthermore the Panel holds that Athlete failed to initiate analysis of any of his supplements he retained. The Panel concludes that the Athlete is not a cheat, yet he acted negligently with his supplements and he could not identify the source of the metabolites found in his samples.

Therefore the National Anti-Doping Panel decides on 4 January 2023 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 4 March 2022.

In August 2022 United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Russell Spiers after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Boldenone.

Following notification the Athlete gave a prompt admission, waived his right for a hearing, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by UKAD. He stated that he had used the substance to recover from his injury.

UKAD deemed that the violation was intentional and considers that the Athlete shall receive a 1 year reduction for his timely admission of the anti-doping rule violation.

Therefore on 9 February 2023 UKAD decides to impose a 3 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 26 August 2022.

In May 2022 United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Ryan Forshaw after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substances Metandienone and 19-norandrosterone (Nandrolone).

Following notification and charge the Athlete gave a prompt admission, waived his right for a hearing, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by UKAD. Because the Athlete gave a timely admission of the anti-doping rule violation he received a 1 year reduction from UKAD.

Therefore on 21 October 2022 UKAD decides to impose a 3 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting backdated on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 6 May 2022.