In August 2023 the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Tobias Richardson 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 on a Friday with friends he recreationally had used Cocaine out-of-competition and thereupon on Sunday had a match and sample collection. Besides consuming pints of beer on Friday night he had used a total of one gram of Cocaine.

UKAD accepts that the Athlete had used Cocaine out-of-competition in a context unrelated to sport performance that permits the imposition of a reduced sanction.

Therefore UKAD decides on 13 November 2023 to impose a 3 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 17 August 2023.

In April 2023 the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Tom Curwen after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Amfetamine.

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.

The Athlete admitted the violation, denied the intentional use of the substance and requested for a reduced sanction. He explained that at the relevant time he had mental health issues and was coping with the difficulties and challenges through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before the Athlete was diagnosed with ADHD in July 2022 he was unaware that he suffered from any medical or mental healt condition. However until Elvanse (Methylphenidate) had been prescribed in January 2023 he had experienced severe side effects from the previous prescribed medications that effected his mental state.

The Athlete acknowledged that when he returned to rugby in December 2022 he did not check his medication, nor made a TUE application. Yet, when he was tested in February 2023 he mentioned Elvanse on the Doping Control Form.

After the positive test in April 2023 the Athlete's application for a retrospective TUE was rejected. Moreover, pending the issue of a required psychiatric report, for months he was unable to make an application for a prospective TUE.

UKAD accepts that the Athlete's violation was not intentional. However UKAD dismissed that he had acted with No Significant Fault or Negligence.

In view of the evidence the Panel agrees that the Athlete's violation was not intentional and that he had acted with a degree of negligence. Further the Panel determines that the Athlete has demonstrated that his ADHD led to cognitive impairment and that this was linked to the circumstances surrounding the commission of the violations.

Therefore the Panel decides on 2 Febuary 2024 to impose an 18 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 6 April 2023.

On 18 October 2022 the South African Institute for Drugfree Sport (SAIDS) reported an anti-doing rule violation against the South African boxer Zolani Tete after his A and B samples tested positive for the prohibited substance Stanozolol. The samples had been provided by the Athlete in Wembley in London on 2 July 2022 after a boxing match.

Following notification in October 2022 a provisional suspension was ordered while results management authority was referred to United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) in January 2023. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and he was heard for the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP).

The Athlete admitted the violation, accepted the test results and denied the intentional use of the substance. He assumed that contamination had caused the positive test results.

However the Athlete's attempts to find the source of the prohibited substance were unsucessful. Analysis of a supplement in question and his nail clippings in a laboratory revealed no prohibited substances.

In this case the Panel is troubled that there had been substantial delays attributed to the London Laboratory, SAIDS and UKAD. Because the Athlete was notified 3½ months after the sample collection this delay effected his opportunity to produce corroborating evidence in his defence.

Following assessment of the evidence the Panel concludes that the Athlete failed to demonstrate that the violation was not intentional, nor how the substance had entered his system. The Panel finds that there is lack of evidence in favour of the Athlete whereas the evidence is more consistent with a plausible motivation for using Stanozolol.

Considering the Athlete's conduct the Panel deems that he had acted with significant fault and negligence. Further the Panel already had determined that there had been substantial delays in this case not attributed to the Athlete.

Therefore the Panel decides on 9 August 2023 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting backdated on 30 July 2022.

In February 2023 the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Rob Worrincy after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substances Enobosarm (ostarine), GW1516 and Ibutamoren.

Following 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 acknowleded that he had used supplements to speed up recovery from an injury. He asserted that he was unaware that one of these supplements contained prohibited substances.

UKAD deems that the Athlete's violation was intentional and determines that he shall receive a 1 year reduction to the period of ineligibility for his timely admission of the anti-doping rule violation.

Therefore UKAD decides on 6 July 2023 to impose a 3 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 24 February 2023.

United Kingdom Anti-Doping Limited Annual Report 2009-10 / United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD). - London : UKAD, 2010

UK Anti-Doping Annual Report 2010/11 / United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD). - London : UKAD, 2011

• ISBN: 9780108510687

UK Anti-Doping Annual Report and Accounts 2011/12 / United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD). - London : UKAD, 2012

• ISBN: 9780102979565

UK Anti-Doping Annual Report and Accounts 2012/13 / United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD). - London : UKAD, 2013

• ISBN: 9780102983371

UK Anti-Doping Annual Report and Accounts 2013/14 / United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD). - London : UKAD, 2014

• Print ISBN 9781474102193
• Web ISBN 9781474102209

UK Anti-Doping Annual Report and Accounts 2014/15 / United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD). - London : UKAD, 2015

• Print ISBN 9781474117593
• Web ISBN 9781474117609