Sanction: softballer receives sanction
Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges the decision of Softball Australia to impose a two-year ban on athlete James Darby for the presence of a metabolite of a prohibited substance.
Mr Darby, who competed in the NSW Men’s Open softball team, returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) from an in-competition doping control test on 13 January 2019.
His sample was analysed at the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory, part of the National Measurement Institute, which detected the presence of Benzoylecgonine (a metabolite of Cocaine).
Mr Darby is ineligible to participate in any sports that have adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy until 15 April 2021. He is also not permitted to compete in a non-signatory professional league, or event organised by a non-signatory International or National level event organisation.
Additional information on the prohibited substance
Cocaine is classed as an S6 stimulant on the Prohibited List and is prohibited in-competition.
Generally, cocaine produces an intense ‘rush’ with users feeling a sense of euphoria, alertness, arousal, and increased confidence. Many users find the drug addictive and may face a number of short and long term health problems including an irregular heartbeat, chest pain, kidney failure, and seizures or stroke.
The original article can be found here.
