In March 2019 the International Tennis Federation (ITF) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Belgian tennis player Aurore Felsenhart after her A and B samples tested positive for the prohibited substance Cannabis in a concentration above the WADA threshold. After notification the Athlete gave a prompt admission, waived her right to be heard, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by the ITF. The Athlete explained that at a party 9 days befort the Doping Control she had smoked Cannabis while she was anaware that some cake she ate also contained Cannabis. Here the ITF accepts that the Athlete’s explanation is scientifically plausible and that her ingestion of Cannabis was out-of-competition in a context unrelated to sport performance. The ITF finds that the Athlete established No Significant Fault or Negligence and that there are grounds for a reduced sanction. Therefore the ITF decides on 8 May 2019 to impose a 2 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 29 March 2019.

In July 2018 the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Salvadorean Athlete Paulo Sergio Mateo Santana Filho after his A and B samples tested positive for the prohibited substance Boldenone. After notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and he was heard for the FEI Tribunal. At first the Athlete claimed with evidence that he had consumed contaminated meat while he was in Guatemala and in El Salvador in May 2018. Further he requested to lift the provisional suspension in order to compete for El Salvador in July 2018. However in July 2018 the Hearing Panel decided to uphold the provisional suspension due to the Panel deemed that the Athlete failed to produce any clear, cogent and convincing evidence proving that the concentration Boldenone in the meat he consumed in Guatemala could have stayed in his system until the day he was tested. Hereafter in September 2018 the Athlete asserted that after further investigations he believed he had determinded the source of the Boldenone. The Athlete also admitted the violation, denied the intentional use of the substance and argued that he bore No Fault of Negligence. In his submissions in November and in February 2019 the Athlete stated that he no longer believed that the source was contaminated meat but instead accidental skin contact with Boldenone. He explained that the positive test was caused by the direct result of the substance leaking and drying onto his hands during medical treatment of horses when he administered injections. FEI contended that the Athlete’s explanation was extremely unlikely to have caused the positive test result and requested the Panel to impose a fine and a sanction of 4 years. FEI considered it to be an aggravating factor that possession of the prohibited substance Boldenone was also an anti-doping rule violation and FEI could potentially open a new case against the Athlete for this rule violation. Considering the evidence in this case the Hearing Panel finds that the Athlete did not establish the source of the Boldenone and failed to establish that the anti-doping rule violation was not intentional. Although intentional use cannot be ruled out, the Athlete at the very least was engaged in conduct which he knew carried a significant risk and disregarded that risk. Therefore the FEI Tribunal decides on 25 April 2019 to impose a fine and a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on 11 July 2018.

In August 2018 the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the American Athlete Jarrion Lawson after his A and B samples tested positive for the prohibited substance Trenbolone. After notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and was heard for the IAAF Disciplinary Tribunal. The Athlete admitted the violation, accepted the test results and denied the intentional use of the substance. He asserted that the likely source of the Trenbolone was contaminated meat ingested in a Restaurant in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In support the Athlete produced evidence related to the Restaurant and the results of a hair analysis. Here the Athlete argued that the meat contained in the Restaurant ingested approximately 19 hours prior to his positive test came from a muscle which had received a direct injection through a Trenbolone implant. Considering the evidence the Panel is prepared to accept that eating beef comprising the site of an implant that had been placed directly into the muscle and was contaminated with Trenbolone could result in the low concentration of 0.65 pg/ml found in the Athlete’s sample. Also the Panel is prepared to accept that placement of an implant directly into the muscle could occur, even if it would be contrary to US industry regulations. The Panel is comfortable satisfied that the Athlete committed the Anti-Doping Rule Violation and does not accept that the meat the Athlete ate in the Restaurant was the likely source of the positive test. As a result the Panel holds that the Athlete failed to prove that his admitted violation was not intentional. In the Panel’s view the Athlete has established a possible, but not a probable case of lack of intention. Therefore the IAAF Disciplinary Tribunal decides on 24 May 2019 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 3 August 2018.

In February 2019 the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Singaporean Athlete Bao Ying Lim after her sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Modafinil. After notification the Athlete gave a prompt admission, waived her right to be heard, accepted a provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by the IAAF. The Athlete explained that on the morning of the competition she had used a quarter of one table of Modafinil 200mg which she mentioned on the Doping Control Form. The Athlete denied the intentional use of the substance and asserted that only afterwards she became aware that she had used a prohibited substance. The IAAF contended that the Athlete failed to establish that the violation was not intentional due to the substance was under the Rules used in-competition and not used out-of-competition in a context unrelated to sport performance. Therefore the IAAF Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) decides on 15 May 2019 to impose a 3 year and 9 month period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 8 February 2019.

In January 2019 the English Football Association (FA) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the player Michael Phenix after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substances Oxandralone and Cocaine. After notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and was heard for the FA Regulatory Commission. The Athlete gave a prompt admission and explained that because of his medical condition he suffered from weight loss which he sought to manage with steroids. Prior he had mentioned his use of steroids on the Doping Control Form and indicated to the Doping Control Officer. He testified that his use of Cocaine was Out of Competion with 15 pints of beer that evening. He admitted that due to the chaos in his life he had a relationship with alcohol and had used Cocaine for many years. Considering the evidence in this case the Commission finds that the Athlete knew that he had consumed steroids or some other prohibited substance and holds that the presence of Cocaine Out of Competition is a breach of the FA’s Social Drugs Policy Regulations. The Commission deems that the Athlete didn’t suffer a mental impairment to such extent as to cause him to take the substance or to interfere with his decision-making processes. Therefore the FA Regulatory Commission decides on 26 April 2019 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the sample collection, i.e. on 17 September 2018. For the Athlete’s Breach of the Social Drugs Policy the Commission impose a suspension of 3 months starting on the date of the sample collection including a warning as to his future conduct.

In January 2019 the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the rugby player Sean Goodfellow for evading sample collection, or without compelling justification, refused or failed to submit to sample collection. Here UKAD reported that in August 2018 at his home the Athlete refused to provide a sample because he was not registered to play rugby in the season 2019/2020, he had to get to his work and had insufficient time to take part in the sample collection. However UKAD established that the Athlete indeed was registered as a player with his club in Scotland and accordingly under the Rules subjected to Out of Competition Sample Collection when requested. After notification the Athlete filed a statement in his defence and he was heard for the National Anti-Doping Panel. The Athlete admitted the violation, accepted the provisional suspension and the imposed sanction. Therefore the National Anti-Doping Panel decides on 26 April 2019 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 2 January 2019.

In April 2019 the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the football player Stavros Katsantonis after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) LGD-4033. After notification the Athlete waived his right for a hearing, accepted the violation, the provisional suspension and the sanction proposed by CCES. Therefore the CCES decides on 21 May 2019 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 18 April 2019.

Stakeholder Notice regarding meat contamination / World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). - Montreal : WADA, 2019 _________________________________________________ On 16 May 2019, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) Foundation Board decided to amend Article 7.4 of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) to allow WADA-accredited Laboratories (Laboratories) to report Atypical Findings (ATFs) for the Prohibited Substance clenbuterol. Under the current version of Article 7.4 of the Code, Laboratories may only report analytical testing results for exogenous Prohibited Substances as Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) but not as ATFs, which does not allow for investigations to take place when potential meat contamination scenarios arise – as has been the case with clenbuterol. As such, if the current Code is strictly followed, Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) are required to assert an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) against the athlete if the B sample results confirm the A sample findings (or the athlete waives the analysis of their B sample). The purpose of the amendment to Article 7.4 of the Code – which will come into force on 1 June 2019 and is an interim solution until the 2021 Code and the forthcoming International Standard for Results Management (ISRM) come into effect – is to provide ADOs with the possibility of conducting an investigation when low concentrations of identified Prohibited Substances that are known meat contaminants are detected by Laboratories and reported as ATFs. This will ensure that valid meat contamination cases are dealt with fairly and, notably, may prevent athletes from having their competition results disqualified as a result of eating contaminated meat. In order to provide guidance to ADOs faced with potential meat contamination cases, WADA has developed a Stakeholder Notice regarding Meat Contamination (Notice) that details the reporting instructions for Laboratories depending on the concentration of clenbuterol detected in an athlete’s sample and includes the investigative steps that ADOs must follow in such situations. After following the instructions and investigative steps indicated in the Notice, ADOs may close cases and allow an athlete to retain their results (for samples collected in-competition) if it is determined that the detection of clenbuterol in their sample is consistent with meat contamination. However, if, following the investigation, the reported ATF is not consistent with meat contamination, or if the concentration of clenbuterol exceeds the designated threshold, an ADRV will be asserted and the standard results management process will proceed. WADA hopes that the instructions found in the Notice and that the amendment to Article 7.4 of the Code will assist ADOs faced with potential clenbuterol meat contamination cases and will ensure that cases are managed fairly for all athletes. Please feel free to contact rm@wada-ama.org should you have any questions or concerns.

Mr Florin Ionut Croitoru is a Romanian Athlete competing in the Weightlifting event at the London 2012 Olympic Games. In 2018, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to perform further analyses on certain samples collected during the 2012 Olympic Games. These additional analyses were performed with analytical methods which were not available in 2012. In February 2019 the International Testing Agency (ITA), on behalf of the IOC, reported an anti-doping rule violation against the Athlete after his 2012 A and B samples tested positive for the prohibited substances Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (Turinabol), Metenolone and Stanozolol. After notification the Athlete waived his right to be heard for the IOC Disciplinary Commission nor did he file a statement in his defence. The Disciplinary Commission finds that the test results established the presence of the prohibited substances in the Athlete’s samples and accordingly that the Athlete committed an anti-doping rule violation. The Commission holds that the finding of these substances is clearly consistent with intentional and actually carefully managed doping practices. Based on the then known windows of detection, a well-informed Athlete could indeed be counting that the concerned substances would not be detected on the occasion of the doping controls performed during the Olympic Games. The absence of any explanation on the part of the Athlete further reinforces the inference that he was intentionally doping. Therefore the IOC Disciplinary Commission decides on 8 May 2019 that the Athlete, Florin Ionut Croitoru: 1.) is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXX Olympiad in London in 2012 (presence and/or use, of Prohibited Substances or their Metabolites or Markers in the Athlete’s bodily specimen), and 2.) is disqualified from the events in which he participated upon the occasion of the 2012 Olympic Games, namely, the Men’s 56kg Weightlifting event. 3.) The IWF is requested to modify the results of the above-mentioned event accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence. 4.) The National Olympic Committee of Romania shall ensure full implementation of this decision. 5.) The decision enters into force immediately.

Anti-Doping Rule Violations during or after the Games (1972-2018) & Anti-Doping Reanalysis Programme (2004-2018) / International Olympic Committee (IOC). - Lausanne : IOC, 2019 Listed in this document on 28 May 2019: - Factsheet number of Anti-Doping Rule violations (1972-2018) - IOC Anti-Doping Reanalysis Programme 2004-2018 - ADRV Results - Number of retests