31 Jan 2008
Eric Thompson, The Respondent, is a track athlete who competes primarily in the sport of high jumping. At the time of the events in question, he was 18 years old and had just graduated from public high school in Herrin, Illinois.
Mr. Thompson was a heavily recruited high school track athlete, and during his senior year he was awarded and accepted a fully-paid athletic scholarship to attend the University of Arkansas, where he had long hoped to enroll because of its distinguished track and field tradition.
Mr. Thompson competed in the high jump in Indianapolis on June 21, 2007, the second day after his consumption of cocaine at a graduation party. He placed second in the event, although his best jump was significantly below his prior jumping achievements. As a result of placing second, Mr. Thompson was subject to doping testing.
Mr. Thompson’s urine sample tested positive for the substance benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. Mr. Thompson confessed and accepted responsibility for his actions. He agreed to an immediate suspension form further competition and has cooperated fully with USADA in this proceeding.
The fault was not “significant” in view of the totality of the circumstances. Mr. Thomson was young and inexperienced and ingested cocaine a single time in his life. He did so apparently out of a wrong-headed sense of experimentation and not to achieve any competitive athletic advantage, nor did he achieve any.
Mr. Thompson had had no experience with anti-doping regulations and had no one in a position to advise him. He had graduated from high school at the time in question, was not part of a continuing coaching program and was accompanied to the Junior National Championships by what were at that point former coaches who themselves had no experience with the relevant anti-doping testing. This does not excuse Mr. Thompson’s lack of knowledge of the applicable anti-doping rules, but it is a relevant mitigating circumstance in the case of a young athlete with no available informed guidance. In these circumstances, it is appropriate to limit the period of Mr. Thompson’s suspension to one year.
The North American Court of Arbitration for Sport Panel therefore rules as follows:
- Mr. Thompson committed a doping violation, for which a suspension from competition of one (1) year, to take place effective from July 18, 2007 through July 17, 2008, is imposed.
- During the period of his suspension, and for at least one year thereafter, Mr. Thompson must participate in a substance abuse counseling program such as the one available to students at the University of Arkansas.
- The result of Mr. Thompson’ s competition at the Junior National Championship on June 21, 2007 is cancelled.
The administrative fees and expenses of the American Arbitration Association and the compensation and expenses of the arbitrators shall by borne entirely by USOC.
