USADA announced today that Nathan Lugo, of Marietta, Ga., an athlete in the sport of boxing, has accepted a one-month period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation.
Lugo, 19, tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a urinary metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, marijuana, and hashish, above the urinary Decision Limit, as the result of a sample collected in-competition at the 2023 USA Boxing National Championships on December 9, 2023. Cannabis, marijuana, and hashish are Specified Substances in the class of Cannabinoids and are prohibited in-competition under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the International Federation anti-doping rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (the Code) and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
In the 2021 Code, THC is classified under a special category that allows for a reduced three-month sanction if the athlete establishes that their use of the substance occurred out-of-competition and was unrelated to sport performance. The sanction may be further reduced to one month if the athlete satisfactorily completes a treatment program approved by USADA.
Lugo’s period of ineligibility was reduced to one month because his use of cannabis occurred out-of-competition and was unrelated to sport performance, and because he successfully completed a substance of abuse treatment program regarding his use of cannabis. Lugo’s positive test was caused by oral ingestion of a gummy listing delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as delta-8 THC, on the label. Athletes are reminded that all substances and products containing synthetic and/or natural tetrahydrocannabinols, including but not limited to delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC, are prohibited in-competition. Further, the US FDA has specific consumer warnings on delta-8 THC products as they have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA for safe use in any context.
Lugo’s one-month period of ineligibility is the minimum allowed under the rules and began on February 5, 2024, the date he accepted the sanction. In addition, Lugo has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on December 9, 2023, the date his positive sample was collected, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.
WADA seeks input on each year’s updated version of the Prohibited List. USADA has advocated and will continue to advocate to WADA, the rule maker, to treat marijuana in a fairer and more effective way to identify true in-competition use.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirms that the hearing in the arbitration procedures CAS 2023/A/10025 Simona Halep v. International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) and CAS 2023/A/10227 International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) v. Simona Halep will take place on 7, 8 and 9 February 2024 at the CAS Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The parties, witnesses and experts will attend the hearing both in person and remotely, including Ms Halep who will be present in person. The hearing will take place behind closed doors since none of the parties requested a public hearing.
The CAS Panel and parties to the proceedings have established a detailed hearing timetable. The hearing will begin on 7 February 2024 at 9:30am with the parties’ opening submissions, followed by the testimony of the fact and expert witnesses. The oral closing submissions will take place on the last day. The conclusion of the hearing should be at around 3:30pm on 9 February 2024.
The CAS Panel appointed to hear this matter is composed of The Hon. Annabelle Bennett (Australia), President, Mr Jeffrey G. Benz (USA) and Prof. Ulrich Haas (Germany).
At the parties’ request, no further information will be given with respect to the identity of the participants (representatives, experts and witnesses). Ms Halep will not make any statement to the media before the end of the hearing.
Following the hearing, the CAS Panel will deliberate and prepare the Arbitral Award containing its decision and grounds. At this juncture, no indication can be given as to when the final Arbitral Award will be notified to the Parties.
ENSURING ATHLETES AND THEIR ENTOURAGE ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE TO SAFEGUARD THEMSELVES AGAINST DOPING IS PARAMOUNT. THE NOC CLEAN SPORT EDUCATION GUIDE FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES PARIS 2024 IS A RESOURCE CRAFTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL TESTING AGENCY (ITA) IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY (WADA). IT HELPS NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES (NOCS) PARTICIPATING IN THE UPCOMING OLYMPIC GAMES TO PROVIDE CLEAN SPORT EDUCATION FOR THEIR ATHLETES AND ATHLETE SUPPORT PERSONNEL (ASP) IN PREPARATION FOR THE EVENT.
NOCs have a specific responsibility around Major Events to educate athletes selected to participate in the Games and their ASP, in cooperation with the National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) and National Federations (NFs).
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE NOC CLEAN SPORT EDUCATION GUIDE: A RESOURCE FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES PARIS 2024
The WADA International Standard for Education promotes the principle that athletes and their ASP should be educated prior to arriving at a Major Games or event. Consistent clean sport education being imperative throughout an athlete’s career, the ITA’s NOC Clean Sport Education Guide for Paris 2024 supports this endeavour in the lead-up to the Games to educate and protect them. This is highlighted by Benjamin Cohen, ITA Director General: “Providing education resources and activities prior to the Games is an additional measure to ensure the well-being of all athletes involved, raise awareness of doping control procedures and provide a solid foundation for fair play for Paris 2024. We thank the IOC and WADA for their valuable support in this initiative and trust that the NOCs will find this guide useful in their preparation efforts.”
“As the body charged with delivering an independent anti-doping program in Paris on behalf of the IOC, it is imperative that we uphold the integrity of the event, not just through testing, but in all facets of clean sport.”
The guide was designed specifically for NOCs but is available to all organisations to support the principle that an athlete’s first experience with anti-doping should be through education rather than doping control.
Collaboration and cooperation are vital for clean sport and the ITA would like to thank Anti-Doping Denmark (ADD), the Azerbaijan National Antidoping Agency (AMADA), the Doping Authority Netherlands (Dopingautoriteit), Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ), the Slovenia Anti-Doping Organisation (SLOADO), NADA Germany, the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA) and the Southeast Asia Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (SEARADO) for their contributions to the Guidebook.
The ITA has also collaborated with WADA and the IOC to prepare a dedicated online education course for athletes and coaches aiming to attend the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The course is available on WADA’s Anti-Doping Education and Learning Platform (ADEL) and was launched in October 2023. The ITA also continues to offer all athletes, ASP, coaches and anyone interested freely accessible monthly webinars on various clean sport topics. A dedicated edition on the Paris 2024 anti-doping program will be held on 30 May 2024, the registration is already open and available here. The archive of previous editions of the webinars can be found here.
For any questions related to the ITA Paris 2024 NOC Clean Sport Education Guide or clean sport education, please contact our education team – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
WADA welcomes the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to uphold its appeal and impose a four-year period of ineligibility on the Russian Olympic Committee figure skater, Kamila Valieva, as well as disqualify her results from the date of the sample collection on 25 December 2021, including all her results during the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. WADA took this appeal to CAS in the interests of fairness for athletes and clean sport and we believe that has been delivered through this decision.
The doping of children is unforgivable. Doctors, coaches or other support personnel who are found to have provided performance-enhancing substances to minors should face the full force of the World Anti-Doping Code. Indeed, WADA encourages governments to consider passing legislation – as some have done already – making the doping of minors a criminal offence.
On 24 January 2024, WADA’s Intelligence and Investigations Department published the report from ‘Operation Refuge’, a broad analysis and examination of doping among minors in sport. The report describes in detail the deep trauma and isolation many child athletes experience following a positive doping test. The report recommends that a greater emphasis be placed on education and the provision of specific policies and procedures for dealing with minors.
WADA understands the frustration of the affected parties in relation to the time it took to complete this case. Indeed, WADA shared those frustrations, which is why, at every stage of the process, including during the first instance proceedings in Russia, WADA pushed hard for a timely resolution.
Note: The impact that this disqualification of results will have on the outcome of the team figure skating competition at Beijing 2022 is a matter for the International Skating Union and the International Olympic Committee.
USADA announced today that Katelyn Kirby, of Johnstown, Colo., an athlete in the sport of weightlifting, has accepted a three-year period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation after testing positive for and admitting the use of prohibited substances.
Kirby, 36, tested positive for a prohibited anabolic agent and its metabolites of synthetic origin as the result of a urine sample collected at the 2023 USA Weightlifting National Championships on June 30, 2023. Based on abnormal Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) markers, her urine sample was analyzed using a specialized test known as Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS), that unequivocally differentiates between anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) naturally produced by the body and AAS of synthetic origin.
After investigating, USADA determined that Kirby was using testosterone under the direction of a physician, but she lacked a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). Under the USADA TUE Policy, an athlete has the responsibility to demonstrate that the therapeutic need to treat an acute or chronic condition satisfies the strict criteria within the WADA International Standard for TUEs (ISTUE). Anabolic agents like testosterone have powerful performance-enhancing capabilities and can give an athlete an unfair advantage over fellow competitors, which is why criteria must be fulfilled beyond merely providing a prescription. Additionally, Kirby admitted to using oxandrolone for which she had no documented medical need in the final months of 2022.
Both testosterone and oxandrolone are Non-Specified Substances in the class of Anabolic Agents and are prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policy, and the International Weightlifting Federation Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
Under Article 10.8.1 of the Code, an athlete who faces an anti-doping rule violation that carries a period of ineligibility of four or more years may receive a one-year sanction reduction if the athlete admits the violation and accepts the asserted sanction within 20 days of notification of the alleged anti-doping rule violation charge. Per the rule, Kirby qualified for a one-year reduction to the otherwise applicable four-year period of ineligibility.
Kirby’s three-year period of ineligibility began on October 20, 2023, the date her provisional suspension was imposed. In addition, Kirby has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to June 30, 2023, the date her positive sample was collected, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.
Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to uphold the decision rendered by the World Rugby Independent Judicial Committee and impose a four-year ban on athlete Kristian Jensen for the Presence of a Prohibited Substance and Use of a Prohibited Substance.
Mr Jensen returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) from an Out-of-Competition doping control test on 28 November 2021 in Dubai (UAE). At the time, Mr Jensen was in Dubai to compete in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series with the Australian Men’s Rugby Sevens team.
Mr Jensen’s sample was analysed at the Laboratoire Suisse d’Analyse du Dopage in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the presence of trifluoro-1-hydroxyethyl-methoxypyrrolidinyl-2-trifluoromethyl-bezonitrile (metabolite of LGD-4033 (Ligandrol)) was detected.
The substance LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) is listed under Class S1.2 (Other Anabolic Agents) under the World Anti-Doping Code – International Standard – Prohibited List – 2021 (Prohibited List 2021). The substance LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) is a Non-Specified Substance and is prohibited at all times.
Mr Jensen’s four-year ban commenced on 22 December 2021.
Mr Jensen is ineligible to participate in any sports that have adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy until 22 December 2025. He is also not permitted to compete in a non-Signatory professional league, or Event organised by a non-Signatory International Event organisation or a non-Signatory national-level Event organisation.
THE INTERNATIONAL TESTING AGENCY (ITA) REPORTS THAT PERU LACROSSE PLAYER JAMES ALEXANDER BURLESON-PORRAS WAS SANCTIONED WITH A 3-MONTH PERIOD OF INELIGIBILITY AFTER TESTING POSITIVE FOR PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES.
The ITA confirms that a sample collected in-competition from James Alexander Burleson-Porras at the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship 2023 in San Diego, California (USA), returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the prohibited substances cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine.
The athlete established that he had consumed the prohibited substance out-of-competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance. The athlete’s sanction was thus lowered to three months insofar as he meets the requirements of the mitigation regime of “Substance of Abuse” set forth in Article 10.2.4.1 of the World Lacrosse Anti-Doping Rules.¹
The athlete was declared ineligible from 6 September 2023 (date of the notification of the AAF) to 5 December 2023. The athlete’s individual results from 26 June 2023 (date of the sample collection) onwards, including all individual results obtained at the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship 2023, have also been disqualified.
The prosecution of the matter was handled by the ITA on behalf of World Lacrosse.
The ITA will not comment further on this case.
Commission on preliminary consideration of anti-doping rules violations of RAA RUSADA rendered the decision that made athlete Ursaki Zinaida (powerlifting) ineligible for 4 years for violation under cl. 4.1 and cl. 4.2 of the All-Russian Anti-Doping Rules, starting on the date of the decision, namely on December 20, 2023, with credit for the served period of provisional suspension, namely from November 9, 2023.
USADA announced today that Roderick Townsend of Glendale, Ariz., an athlete in the sport of para track and field, has returned an adverse analytical finding for a prohibited substance that was not specifically listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. After an investigation, USADA determined that the athlete was exposed to this substance through no fault of his own. Townsend will therefore not face a period of ineligibility for his out-of-competition test, but under the World Anti-Doping Code, his no fault violation must be publicly disclosed.
“With increasing detection and investigation capabilities, it’s our responsibility to ensure that we protect innocent athletes while holding accountable intentional cheaters,” said Travis T. Tygart, Chief Executive Officer of USADA. “WADA rules require publication of no fault findings such as this to remain compliant with the rules. We will continue to fervently advocate to WADA that athletes shouldn’t be charged with violations or subjected to public scrutiny when they inadvertently come into contact with a prohibited substance and there is no effect on performance.”
Townsend, 31, tested positive for capromorelin as the result of an out-of-competition urine sample he provided on November 1, 2023. Capromorelin, although not specifically listed on the 2023 WADA Prohibited List, is considered by WADA to be a Non-Specified Substance in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics. It is prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policy, and the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the WADA Prohibited List. Following USADA’s feedback during the annual List consultation process, Capromorelin is now specifically named on the 2024 WADA Prohibited List that came into effect Jan 1, 2024.
During USADA’s investigation into his case, Townsend provided USADA with records of a prescription liquid pet medication containing capromorelin, an appetite stimulant that had been prescribed by a veterinarian to maintain his ailing dog’s weight. He administered the medication to his dog orally via syringe each day during the final weeks of his pet’s life. After his dog unfortunately passed away, Townsend stored the syringe he used to administer the medication. He later used the syringe, which did not contain any obvious residue, to measure out and orally administer a liquid vitamin D supplement recommended by his nutritionist.
Through its investigation, USADA determined that Townsend, through no fault of his own, inadvertently ingested capromorelin residue that was present in the syringe. Administration data from a peer-reviewed published study confirms that exceedingly small amounts of orally-ingested capromorelin can cause a positive test consistent with the miniscule levels detected in Townsend’s sample. Therefore, because Townsend tested positive despite any fault or negligence, he will not face a period of ineligibility. Since the sample was collected out-of-competition, there are no competitive results to disqualify.
Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges the decision of the Australian Weightlifting Federation to impose a 12-year ban on athlete Andrew Ciancio for the Presence of a metabolite of a Prohibited Substance and Use of a Prohibited Substance.
Mr Ciancio, an athlete in the sport of weightlifting, returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) from an Out-of-Competition doping control test on 5 September 2022.
Mr Ciancio’s sample was analysed at the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory, part of the National Measurement Institute, and the presence of 3α-hydroxy-2α-methyl-5α-androstan-17-one (metabolite of Drostanolone) was detected.
The substance Drostanolone is listed under Class S1.1 Anabolic Agents (Anabolic Androgenic Steroids) under the World Anti-Doping Code – International Standard – Prohibited List – 2022 (Prohibited List 2022). The substance Drostanolone is a Non-Specified Substance and is prohibited at all times.
It was determined that on and/or before 5 September 2022 Mr Ciancio Used a Prohibited Substance, namely Drostanolone.
Mr Ciancio’s Anti-Doping Rule Violations in relation to his doping control test on 5 September 2022 were considered his ‘second violation’ within a ten-year period.
The Australian Weightlifting Federation thereby imposed a 12-year ban on Mr Ciancio commencing on 5 September 2022.
Mr Ciancio is ineligible to participate in any sports that have adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy until 5 September 2034. He is also not permitted to compete in a non-Signatory professional league or Event organised by a non-Signatory International Event organisation or a non-Signatory national-level event organisation.
Commission on preliminary consideration of anti-doping rules violations of RAA RUSADA rendered the decision that made athlete Pilyasova Ekaterina (bodybuilding) ineligible for 3 years for violation under cl. 4.3 of the All-Russian Anti-Doping Rules, starting on the date of the decision, namely on December 14, 2023, with credit for the served period of provisional suspension, namely from October 23, 2023.
The FEI Tribunal has issued a Consent Award in an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned Substance.
In this case, the horse Ashva Psyche (FEI ID 107YL76/URU), tested positive for the Banned Substance Stanozolol following samples taken at the CEI2*120 Costa Azul, Canelones (URU) 04-05 November 2023.
The athlete, Teresa Sanchez (FEI ID 10094966/URU), admitted the rule violation and accepted the consequences. In its final decision the FEI Tribunal disqualified the horse from the event and imposed an 18-month ineligibility period on the athlete; the provisional suspension she already served shall be credited against the imposed ineligibility period. She was also fined CHF 5,000 and all results from the event were disqualified.
The full Decision is available here.
USADA announced today that Tyler Sundeen, of Simi Valley, Calif., an athlete in the sport of field hockey, has accepted a six-month sanction for an anti-doping rule violation.
Sundeen, 30, tested positive for ritalinic acid, a methylphenidate metabolite, as the result of an in-competition sample collected at the Cal Cup Tournament on May 27, 2023. He also declared the use of this substance during sample collection. Methylphenidate is a Specified Substance in the class of stimulants and is prohibited in-competition under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the International Hockey Federation Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
After investigating, USADA determined that Sundeen was taking methylphenidate at the direction of a physician but lacked a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). Under the USADA TUE Policy, an athlete has the responsibility to demonstrate that the therapeutic need to treat an acute or chronic medical condition satisfies the strict criteria within the WADA International Standard for TUEs (ISTUE). Although the substance was taken at the direction of a physician, Sundeen lacked a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) and his subsequent application for a retroactive and prospective TUE, reviewed by the independent USADA TUE Committee of expert physicians, was denied due to lack of sufficient medical justification. Under the applicable rules, Sundeen was eligible for a reduction from the default period of ineligibility based on the specific circumstances of his case.
Sundeen’s six-month period of ineligibility began on June 16, 2023, the date his provisional suspension was imposed. Sundeen has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to May 27, 2023 including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes.
In an effort to aid athletes, as well as support team members such as parents and coaches, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to file and update athlete Whereabouts, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements, as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs.
In addition, USADA manages a drug reference hotline, Global Drug Reference Online (GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as a supplement guide, a nutrition guide, a clean sport handbook, and periodic alerts and advisories.
USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. Any tip can be reported using the USADA Play Clean Tip Center, by text at 87232 (“USADA”), by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., by phone at 1-877-Play Clean (1-877-752-9253) or by mail.
USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.
Agency calls on athletes, entourage, and all stakeholders to note major modification concerning tramadol
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) wishes to remind stakeholders that the 2024 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods (List) and the 2024 Monitoring Program enter into force today (1 January 2024). The 2024 List was approved by WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) during its meeting on 22 September 2023 and was first published on 28 September 2023.
The List is one of the eight International Standards that are mandatory for all Signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code). It designates what substances and methods are prohibited both in- and out-of-competition and which substances are banned in particular sports.
Major Modifications for 2024
All Major Modifications for 2024 are outlined in the 2024 Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes, including the following particular information regarding tramadol:
On 23 September 2022, the ExCo endorsed the recommendation by WADA’s List Expert Advisory Group (EAG) to prohibit the narcotic tramadol in competition, effective 1 January 2024. The delay in implementation was to ensure stakeholders had enough time to learn and adapt to this change, especially as it pertained to the education of athletes, their entourage, and medical personnel.
Tramadol has been on WADA’s Monitoring Program and data gathered through that program have indicated significant use in sports. Tramadol abuse, with its risk of physical dependence, opiate use disorder and overdoses, is of concern worldwide and has led to it being a controlled drug in many countries. Research studies funded by WADA, as referenced in the Explanatory Note, have also confirmed the potential for tramadol to enhance sports performance.
Annual List Review Process
WADA leads an annual revision process concerning the List, beginning with an initial meeting in January and concluding with the publication of the List by 1 October. This is an extensive consultation process that includes WADA’s List EAG gathering information, including the latest scientific and medical research, trends, and intelligence gathered from law enforcement and pharmaceutical companies; circulating a draft List among stakeholders; and, taking their submissions into consideration to revise the draft, followed by review by the Agency’s Health, Medical and Research (HMR) Committee. The HMR Committee then makes its recommendations to WADA’s ExCo, which approves the List during its September meeting.
For a substance or method to be added to the List, it must be determined that it meets at least two of the following three criteria:
- It has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance
- It represents an actual or potential health risk to athletes
- It violates the spirit of sport
The full 2024 List was published on 28 September 2023, giving more than three months’ notice to athletes, their entourage, and other stakeholders, enabling them to acquaint themselves with any modifications. Ultimately, athletes are responsible for prohibited substances found in their bodies and prohibited methods found to have been used. Athletes’ entourages are also liable for Anti-Doping Rule Violations if determined to be complicit. Consequently, if there is any doubt as to the status of a substance or method, it is important that they contact their respective Anti-Doping Organizations (International Federation or National Anti-Doping Organization) for advice.
Therapeutic Use Exemption Program
It should be noted that for athletes who have a legitimate medical reason for using a prohibited substance or method that is on the List, they can apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) to determine whether they meet the criteria outlined in the International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE). The TUE Program is a rigorous and necessary part of elite sport which has overwhelming acceptance from athletes, physicians, and anti-doping stakeholders.
Educational Resources
In addition to the documents linked above, WADA has provided, or will provide, a number of educational resources as part of its Code Implementation Support Program (CISP). These resources can be accessed through the links below and on the Agency’s Anti-Doping Education and Learning Platform (ADEL) and include:
Languages and Formats
The 2024 List, the 2024 Summary of Modifications and Explanatory Notes, and the 2024 Monitoring Program are available for download on WADA’s website in English, French, and Spanish. The list is also available in Arabic, German, Greek, Portuguese, and Turkish.
Stakeholders wishing to translate the List into other languages are kindly asked to signal their interest to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. WADA will then provide the necessary files and, once the translation is finalized, will make the translated List available on the Agency’s website.
The List’s mobile-friendly digital edition is now available.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms an independent tribunal has determined that tennis players Tara Moore and Barbara Gatica bore No Fault or Negligence for their Adverse Analytical Findings and are therefore not subject to a period of ineligibility.
Moore and Gatica were provisionally suspended under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP) on 27 May 2022 and 17 June 2022 respectively, having tested positive for anabolic steroid boldenone (and nandrolone in the case of Moore) in Bogotá, Colombia in April 2022.
A hearing was convened remotely by Sport Resolutions on 14 and 15 December 2023, following which the independent tribunal determined that contaminated meat consumed by each player in the days before sample collection was the source of the prohibited substance(s) found in the players' samples and, therefore, that both players bore No Fault or Negligence for their violations.
Accordingly, no period of ineligibility was imposed on either player, and the provisional suspensions imposed on each player under the TADP have been immediately lifted - although Gatica remains suspended from tennis due to separate Tennis Anti-Corruption Program offenses.
The ITIA has issued, and will continue to issue, information concerning the risks of meat contamination in certain parts of the world to all players.
Rugby League player, Harry Tyson-Wilson has been banned from all sport for a period of three years following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for Use and Possession of a Prohibited Substance.
On 18 May 2022, UKAD received information from the police regarding the production, manufacture, and supply of Prohibited Substances by and to a number of individuals. UKAD commenced an investigation and was subsequently able to identify Rugby League player Mr Tyson-Wilson as one of the purchasers of the Prohibited Substances.
Evidence obtained by UKAD showed that on 6 March 2019, Mr Tyson-Wilson made a purchase of dianabol, a variant of metandienone. Metandienone is listed under S1(1) of the 2019 WADA Prohibited List as an Anabolic Androgenic Steroid and is a non-Specified Substance, which is prohibited at all times.
UKAD interviewed Mr Tyson-Wilson on 7 March 2022, where he admitted to purchasing metandienone online in March 2019 and paying for it to be delivered to his home address. Mr Tyson-Wilson also accepted being in possession of the Prohibited Substance after its arrival at his home address.
On 12 April 2023, UKAD notified Mr Tyson-Wilson that he may have committed two ADRVs contrary to Article 2.2 (Use or Attempted Use by an Athlete of a Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method), and Article 2.6 (Possession of a Prohibited Substance and/or a Prohibited Method) of the 2015 UK Anti-Doping Rules (‘2015 ADR’). UKAD provisionally suspended the player from this date.
On 18 May 2023, Mr Tyson-Wilson was charged by UKAD with both ADRVs. The player responded on 7 June 2023 admitting the charges and accepting the asserted period of Ineligibility of four years.
Mr Tyson-Wilson benefited from a one-year reduction to his ban after admitting the violation and accepting the asserted period of Ineligibility within 20 days of receiving the Charge (pursuant to 2021 ADR Article 10.8.1).
Mr Tyson-Wilson’s period of Ineligibility is deemed to have commenced from the date of his Provisional Suspension on 12 April 2023 and will end at midnight on 11 April 2026.
Speaking on the case, Hamish Coffey, UKAD Director of Operations, said:
“Anabolic steroids have no place in sport. There are serious consequences for any Athlete caught in possession of them. It’s imperative that Athletes respect their responsibilities under the Anti-Doping Rules and conduct themselves with integrity both on and off the field.
“This case is a further example of the strong strategic collaborations UKAD has in place with law enforcement partners, and we thank them for their continued support in UKAD’s delivery of intelligence-led anti-doping programmes.”
The Rugby Football League added, “We support UKAD in their determination to ensure that sport is clean, and in working with other law enforcement partners to do so.”
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has today confirmed that Rugby Union player Ryan Olowofela received a three-month ban from all sport following an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) for the presence of a Prohibited Substance in his urine Sample. At the time of this announcement, the ban has been served and the player is free to resume participation in sport.
On 26 March 2023, UKAD collected an In-Competition urine Sample from Mr Olowofela at a game between Nottingham RFC and Bedford Blues RFC. Analysis of the Sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for cocaine and its Metabolite, benzoylecgonine.
Cocaine is listed under section S6A of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2023 Prohibited List as a stimulant. It is a non-Specified Substance that is prohibited In-Competition only. The WADA 2023 Prohibited List also identifies cocaine as a ‘Substance of Abuse’.
The UK Anti-Doping Rules (ADR), which implement the 2021 World Anti-Doping Code for sports in the UK, set out specific rules on how ADRVs relating to Substances of Abuse should be managed. Shorter bans of three months are available for such substances when found In-Competition if their ingestion takes place Out-of-Competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance.
On 28 April 2023, UKAD notified Mr Olowofela that he may have committed ADRVs in violation of the ADR. Mr Olowofela was also provisionally suspended from this date.
On 5 May 2023, Mr Olowofela admitted that he had taken cocaine and stated that he had ingested it recreationally on Thursday 23 March 2023. UKAD instructed a scientific expert to examine whether the concentration of cocaine and its Metabolite benzoylecgonine detected in Mr Olowofela’s Sample was consistent with the explanation he provided. The scientific expert’s opinion was that this explanation was not scientifically plausible.
UKAD charged Mr Olowofela on 15 June 2023 with the commission of two ADRVs under ADR Article 2.1 (presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in an Athlete’s Sample) and Article 2.2 (Use of a Prohibited Substance or Method).
Mr Olowofela responded on 6 July 2023 denying the charges. The player provided a revised account, stating that his original recollection was incorrect, and he had in fact ingested cocaine on Friday 24 March 2023. The player provided evidence to support this account, including witness statements and bank records. The scientific expert examined the player’s revised account and concluded that his explanation was consistent with Out-of-Competition ingestion. As a result, the charge under Article 2.2 (Use of a Prohibited Substance or Method) was not pursued.
Mr Olowofela accepted the charge of Article 2.1 and the asserted period of Ineligibility of three months. Mr Olowofela has been afforded credit for the time he has spent provisionally suspended (since 28 April 2023). His period of Ineligibility was lifted on 28 September 2023, on the basis that the player had already served the maximum three-month period of Ineligibility applicable to his case. Mr Olowofela is free to resume participation in sport.
Speaking on the case, UKAD Director of Operations, Hamish Coffey said:
“Athletes need to respect the Anti-Doping Rules. It’s important to remember that cocaine and other ‘recreational drugs’ are prohibited in sport. These substances are harmful to athlete health, and they impact careers and reputations.”
As a follow-up to the ITA’s and the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) investigations on doping in the sport of weightlifting until 2018, the ITA had received WADA’s case file pertaining to “Operation Arrow”. This investigation focused on the practice of urine substitution at the point of collection. After a thorough assessment of the information and evidence the ITA decided to assert an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) for sample swapping against athlete Nijat Rahimov (Kazakhstan). The urine substitution (Article 2.2 of the IWF Anti-Doping Rules) occurred on four occasions over a period of time in 2016, in preparation for the Olympic Games Rio 2016.
On 22 March 2022, the anti-doping division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS ADD) sanctioned the athlete with 8 years of ineligibility and the disqualification of all results obtained from 15 March 2016.
On 12 April 2022, the athlete filed an appeal before CAS. A hearing took place on 22 September 2022 at the CAS headquarters in which the ITA represented the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). After hearing the parties and considering the written submissions and evidence, CAS confirmed that the athlete had committed several ADRVs for the of use of a prohibited method (urine substitution) in accordance with Article 2.2 of the IWF Anti-Doping Rules.
In its decision, CAS notably held that this matter was “a clear case of cheating by an athlete seeking to avoid anti-doping testing” and that “this is the kind of cheating the anti-doping rules are designed to prevent”.
Since this was the athlete’s second ADRV, CAS confirmed that Nijat Rahimov should be sanctioned with 8 years of ineligibility. The disqualification of all results obtained by the athlete from 15 March 2016 (date of the first evidence of urine substitution) until the provisional suspension imposed on 18 January 2021, which includes the gold medal obtained at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 (Men’s 77 kg), was also confirmed.
The ITA will not comment further on this case.
Commission on preliminary consideration of anti-doping rules violations of RAA RUSADA rendered the decision that made athlete Dzobelov Khetag (rugby) ineligible for 3 years for violation under cl. 4.1 and cl. 4.2 of the All-Russian Anti-Doping Rules, starting on the date of the decision, namely on November 2, 2023, with credit for the served period of provisional suspension, namely from October 10, 2023.
As part of a circulatory vote that ended yesterday, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) Executive Committee (ExCo) approved a revised recommendation of the Agency’s independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) to add the Tunisian National Anti-Doping Organization (ANAD) to WADA’s compliance ‘watchlist’1.
On 16 November 2023, the ExCo accepted the CRC’s recommendation to allege ANAD as non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) due to a failure to appropriately implement the Code into its national legal framework.
In the days following the ExCo, ANAD provided a clear calendar for adoption of the amendments which are required to bring the Tunisian legal framework in line with the Code within four months. At the same time, critical corrective actions from an audit conducted in March 2023 were signed off. On this basis, the CRC has updated its recommendation for inclusion on the ‘watchlist’.
As per the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS), by adding ANAD to the ‘watchlist’, the ExCo has given it four months to execute its corrective action plan. If by 6 April 2024 the non-conformity has not been corrected to the satisfaction of the CRC, ANAD will be alleged as non-compliant with the Code without the need for a further decision by the ExCo.
The CRC is responsible for providing independent advice, guidance and recommendations to WADA Management and governing bodies on matters relating to Signatories' compliance with their obligations under the Code.
USADA announced today that John Frey, of Albuquerque, N.M, an athlete in the sport of cycling, has accepted a two-year period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation.
Frey, 65, refused to provide a sample after being notified by a USADA doping control officer during an in-competition test at the Paula Higgins Memorial Time Trial—a USA Cycling sanctioned event—on September 4, 2023. After the event, race officials contacted USADA to conduct testing on Frey and his tandem cycling partner to ratify what race officials believed to have been a new record in the event. But when the doping control officer arrived to collect a sample a short time later, Frey refused to be tested. Evading sample collection or refusing or failing to provide a sample without compelling justification is an anti-doping rule violation under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policy, and the International Cycling Union Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
Under the applicable rules, the default sanction for Recreational Athletes who evade sample collection or refuse or fail to provide a sample is a two-year period of ineligibility. USADA determined that Frey currently qualifies as a Recreational Athlete under the rules, and therefore the appropriate period of ineligibility is two years.
Frey’s two-year sanction took effect on November 20, 2023, the date he accepted the sanction. In addition, Frey has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to September 4, 2023, the date he failed to provide a sample, including forfeiture of any medals, points, records and prizes.
In an effort to aid athletes, as well as support team members such as parents and coaches, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to file and update athlete Whereabouts, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements, as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs.
In addition, USADA manages a drug reference hotline, Global Drug Reference Online (GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as a supplement guide, a nutrition guide, a clean sport handbook, and periodic alerts and advisories.
USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. Any tip can be reported using the USADA Play Clean Tip Center, by text at 87232 (“USADA”), by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., by phone at 1-877-Play Clean (1-877-752-9253) or by mail.
USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.
The IWF recently informed all its National Member Federations on the summary of the amendments to the 2024 IWF Anti-Doping rules, to be applicable from January 1, 2024.
The main novelties include:
TESTING
- Added new paragraph 5.5.17. in Article 5 to address situations of unavailability of athletes for testing; new section (v) in paragraph 18.1.4, in order to ensure that all athletes can be subject to unannounced Out-of-Competition Testing under the IWF’s Testing authority throughout the year.
RESULTS MANAGEMENT
- Clarification on the circumstances justifying the imposition or lifting of a provisional suspension (Art. 7.4.2).
- New paragraph 8.3.4: new evidence permit the reopening of a case.
GENERAL
- Art. 13.2.4: cross-appeals and other subsequent appeals allowed
- Art 14.7: means of notice
ADDITIONAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBER FEDERATIONS (MFs)
- Introduced concept of Categorisation of MFs (Category A, B, C) with different obligations imposed on each group (Art. 18.8)
- Category ‘A’ MFs: obligation to ensure at least 2 Out-of-Competition (OOC) tests (under the NADO’s TA) and mandatory Education course within 6 months prior to Senior World Championships (WC), Junior WC and Olympic Games (Art. 18.9.3)
- Category ‘B’ MFs: obligation to ensure at least 1 OOC test (under the NADO’s TA) and MFs are strongly encouraged to ensure that all athletes competing in a Selected Event and coaches and medical professionals participating in the event complete the WADA ADEL education programme specified by the ITA for each event within 6 months prior to Senior WC, Junior WC and Olympic Games (Art. 18.9.4).
- Category ‘C’ MFs: MFs are encouraged to ensure that all affiliated athletes competing in a Selected Event are subject to testing by the NADO/RADO (no minimum requirement) and MFs are strongly encouraged to ensure that all athletes competing in a Selected Event and coaches and medical professionals participating in the event are subject to anti-doping education programmes before their participation.
In exceptional circumstances outside of the control of the MF, the MF may request the IWF to test (under IWF’s TA) its athletes to meet the requirements, provided that strict conditions apply (Art. 18.9.8).
Automatic ineligibility to compete in the IWF Event in question in case of failure to meet the testing/education requirements (Art. 18.9.14)
Relevant documents/links:
- New 2024 IWF Anti-Doping rules here.
- Operational guidelines for categorisation of Member Federations here.
- An infographic to help each Member Federation to better understand how it works here.
- 2024 list of categorised Member Federations here.
Following publication of the World Anti-Doping Agency [WADA] Prohibited List for 2024, which includes the banning of well-known pain-killer tramadol from in-competition use, further guidance has been provided to assist players, support teams and medical personnel with the upcoming changes.
WADA has issued fact sheets for both players and medical personnel to help prepare them for the 2024 season. These fact sheets have been distributed to medical personnel and the relevant tour bodies, but can be summarised by the following five key points:
1. From 1 January 1 2024, tramadol will be added to the S7 (narcotics) category of the WADA Prohibited List . This means it will be banned in competition only.
2. Tramadol is an opioid that is used to treat moderate to severe pain. Recent scientific research has suggested that it can also have performance-enhancing effects. Moreover, it is highly addictive, which poses a health risk to athletes.
3. If a player’s physician prescribes tramadol to use incompetition to treat a diagnosed medical condition, players must apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) before they start taking the medication.
4. If players use tramadol within 24 hours before the start of the in-competition period, there is a risk that a sample collected in-competition will return a positive finding.
5. If players use tramadol more than 24 hours before the in-competition period, it is unlikely, but not impossible, that an in-competition test result will be positive.
To download the fact sheets, click here (athletes’ guidance) or here (medical professionals' guidance).
The ITIA remains committed to supporting members of the tennis community – whether they are players, representatives, support staff, coaches, or medical personnel – in understanding all elements of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme and WADA Prohibited List.
Players seeking further understanding of the WADA Prohibited List, or seeking practical support from the ITIA on anti-doping matters, can make contact with us directly via our app, through direct message on social media, or by filling out the contact form at itia.tennis/contact.
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) today announced its formal data disclosure policy which includes the routine public release of data collected through its Racetrack Safety (RS) and Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Programs, as well as a process through which individuals may request additional records from HISA. The policy is as follows:
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, Inc. (“HISA”) is a private, independent, self-regulatory, nonprofit corporation, and, therefore, is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) or state and local open records laws. However, as the organization charged with developing and implementing a horseracing anti-doping and medication control (“ADMC”) program and a racetrack safety (“RS”) program for covered horses, covered persons, and covered horseraces, HISA believes that sharing certain data and information collected in connection with these programs is integral to improving the safety and integrity of Thoroughbred racing.
As part of HISA’s commitment to public reporting, HISA intends to release certain data under the RS program on a quarterly basis beginning in the first quarter of 2024. Going forward, an annual report will be released in Q1 of each calendar year that presents new data from Q4 of the previous year, along with a full analysis of the previous calendar year’s complete data set. Quarterly reports will also be issued in Q2, Q3 and Q4 of each year, which will present new data from the previous quarter. Information relating to HISA’s ADMC program will be released by the independent enforcement agency of the ADMC program, the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU), in accordance with a similar disclosure schedule.
HISA’s initial release of information in the first quarter of 2024 will include data for all of calendar year 2023 concerning equine fatalities, registrations, fines assessed, track accreditation, and riding crop violations. Additional RS metrics will be released as HISA’s level of confidence in reporting by Covered Persons and the ability to track and aggregate data improves. Beginning in 2024, HISA will also start regularly sharing meeting minutes for meetings of the HISA Board and its Standing Committees.
In addition to HISA’s regular reporting, beginning in the first quarter of 2024, individual requests for information may be submitted by contacting Mandy Minger, Director of Communications (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 917-846-8804). HISA will respond to these requests on a case-by-case basis by taking into consideration whether there are privacy or confidentiality interests, ongoing investigations or pending litigation, or other circumstances that make public disclosure impractical or unfair to interested parties.
Commission on preliminary consideration of anti-doping rules violations of RAA RUSADA rendered a decision that made athlete Sudakov Sergey (american football) ineligible for 6 years for violation under cl. 4.1 and cl. 4.2 of the All-Russian Anti-Doping Rules, starting on the date of the decision, namely on October 31, 2023, with credit for the served period of provisional suspension, namely from May 31, 2023.
The ITA, on behalf of IRONMAN, hereby reports that Brazil athlete Derik Felix Afornali has committed an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) under article 2.1 of the IRONMAN Anti-Doping Rules (IRONMAN ADR) for the presence of clomifene in a sample collected out-of-competition by IRONMAN on 4 October 2022.
The sample collected from Derik Felix Afornali returned an adverse analytical finding for the specified prohibited substance clomifene. Clomifene is prohibited under the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List as hormone and metabolic modulator (S4.2). Clomifene has the potential effects of boosting or restoring testosterone production and thus increasing muscle mass.
Derik Felix Afornali did not challenge the ADRV and agreed with the consequences proposed by the ITA. A two year period of ineligibility is the standard sanction for specified substances. Accordingly, this case was resolved via an acceptance of consequences pursuant to article 8.3.1 of the IRONMAN ADR. The athlete’s period of ineligibility across all sports ran until 3 October 2024 and any competition results obtained by the athlete after the positive test of 4 October 2022 are disqualified.
USADA announced today that Frank Travieso, of Athens, Ga., an athlete in the sport of cycling, has accepted a six-month period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
Travieso, 43, tested positive for ephedrine at a concentration greater than the threshold of 10 micrograms per milliliter as the result of a urine sample collected at the Bommarito Audi Gateway Cup on September 3, 2023. Ephedrine is a Specified Substance in the class of Stimulants and is prohibited in-competition under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and International Cycling Union (UCI) Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
After investigating, USADA determined that Travieso was using a medication containing ephedrine, which he obtained over the counter at the direction of a physician, but he lacked a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). Under the USADA TUE Policy, an athlete has the responsibility to demonstrate that the therapeutic need to treat an acute or chronic medical condition satisfies the strict criteria within the WADA International Standard for TUEs (ISTUE). Upon review, Travieso did not qualify for a retroactive TUE.
Travieso’s six-month period of ineligibility began on September 21, 2023, the date his provisional suspension was imposed. In addition, Travieso has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to September 3, 2023, the date his positive sample was collected, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.
USADA announced today that Christian DesChamps, of Cypress, Texas, an athlete in the sport of cycling, has accepted a 14-month sanction for committing three Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period.
“Providing accurate and timely Whereabouts information can be a chore for athletes, but it’s an incredibly important one that helps ensure they can compete on a level playing field,” said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart. “Whereabouts information enables the no advance notice, out-of-competition testing necessary to detect prohibited substances with short detection windows and this is critical to keeping dopers on the sideline.”
At the time of the Whereabouts Failures, DesChamps, 19, was a member of the USADA Registered Testing Pool (RTP), which consists of a select group of elite athletes subject to certain Whereabouts requirements to be located for out-of-competition testing. Within a 4-month period, DesChamps accrued three Whereabouts Failures, the first for a Filing Failure on March 26, 2023; the second for a Filing Failure on July 1, 2023; and the third for a Filing Failure on July 17, 2023. Shortly after committing his third Whereabouts Failure, DesChamps submitted his official retirement notice on July 25, 2023.
The accumulation of three Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period constitutes a rule violation under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policy, and the International Cycling Union Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code. The period of ineligibility for Whereabouts rule violations ranges from one year to two years depending on the athlete’s degree of fault. In this case, USADA determined that a 14-month period of ineligibility was appropriate because DesChamps’s degree of fault was relatively low given the unique personal circumstances of the case.
DesChamps’s 14-month period of ineligibility began on January 24, 2024, the date he returned from retirement. In addition, DesChamps has been disqualified from all competitive results achieved on and subsequent to July 17, 2023, the date of his third Whereabouts Failure in a 12-month period, including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes.
In an effort to aid athletes, as well as support team members such as parents and coaches, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to file and update athlete Whereabouts, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements, as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued its decision in the appeal arbitration procedures CAS 2023/A/9451 Association Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) v. Kamila Valieva, CAS 2023/A/9455 International Skating Union (ISU) v. Kamila Valieva, Association Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), and CAS 2023/A/9456 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) v. Association Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) & Kamila Valieva):
- The decision taken by the Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency No. 9/2023 on 24 January 2023 in relation to Ms Kamila Valieva is set aside.
- Ms Valieva is found to have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under Clause 4.1 of the All-Russian Anti-Doping Rules of 24 June 2021 (the Russian ADR).
- A period of four (4) years ineligibility is imposed on Ms Valieva, starting on 25 December 2021.
- All competitive results of Ms Valieva from 25 December 2021 are disqualified, with all the resulting consequences (including forfeiture of any titles, awards, medals, profits, prizes, and appearance money).
According to Clause 4.1 of the Russian ADR, athletes are responsible for any Prohibited Substance found to be present in their samples and the presence of any prohibited substance amounts to an ADRV. In this matter, a prohibited substance, Trimetazidine (TMZ), was found to be present in the sample collected from Ms Valieva on 25 December 2021 during the Russian National Championships in St Petersburg, Ms Valieva did not contest liability in that she accepted that, by reason of the presence of a TMZ in her sample, she had committed an ADRV under Clause 4.1 of the Russian ADR
It was therefore a matter for the CAS Panel to consider what sanctions, if any, should be imposed on Ms Valieva pursuant to the Russian ADR, bearing in mind that, in the absence of grounds for elimination, reduction or suspension, the Russian ADR provide for a four-year period of ineligibility. In order to benefit from a reduced period of ineligibility, Ms Valieva needed to prove, by a balance of probabilities that she had not intentionally committed the ADRV by engaging in conduct which she knew constituted an ADRV or in conduct where she knew that there was a significant risk that said conduct might constitute or result in an ADRV and had manifestly disregarded that risk. Having carefully considered all the evidence put before it, the CAS Panel concluded that Ms Valieva was not able to establish, on the balance of probabilities and on the basis of the evidence before the Panel, that she had not committed the ADRV intentionally (within the meaning of the Russian ADR).
The CAS Panel stressed that the test with respect to intention under Clause 12.2 of the Russian ADR is one and the same whether the athlete is an adult or a Protected Person. It means that if a Protected Person fails to discharge the burden (which under the Russian ADR is borne by the athlete) that he or she did not commit ADRV intentionally, there is no basis under the rules to treat them any differently from an adult athlete. Accordingly, since it was determined that there was no scope for the exercise of discretion to reduce the period of ineligibility, a four-year period of ineligibility was imposed by the Panel.
The period of ineligibility starts on 25 December 2021 and any period of provisional suspension served by Ms Valieva is to be credited against that period of ineligibility. The CAS Panel also ordered the disqualification all competitive results achieved by Ms Valieva from 25 December 2021, with all the resulting consequences (including forfeiture of any titles, awards, medals, profits, prizes, and appearance money).
The consequences linked to the retroactive disqualification of Ms Valieva from past events, including from the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, were not within the scope of this arbitration procedure and will have to be examined by the sports organisations concerned.
The Arbitral Award issued by the CAS Panel is currently subject to a confidentiality review meaning that the parties might request that the Arbitral Award, or certain information contained in it, remain confidential. For this reason, the Arbitral Award will not be published immediately on the CAS website.
The CAS Panel’s decision is final and binding, with the exception of the parties’ right to file an appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal within 30 days on limited grounds.
Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges the decision of the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) to impose a two year and eight months ban on athlete William Boland, for the Presence of a metabolite of a Prohibited Substance, Use of a Prohibited Substance and Possession of a Prohibited Substance.
Mr Boland, who played for the Redcliffe Dolphins, returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) from an Out-of-Competition doping control test on 22 June 2022.
Mr Boland’s sample was analysed at the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory, part of the National Measurement Institute, and the presence of a metabolite of a Prohibited Substance, namely Di-hydroxy LGD-4033 (metabolite of LGD-4033 (Ligandrol)), was detected.
The substance LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) is listed under Class S1.2 (Other Anabolic Agents) under the World Anti-Doping Code – International Standard – Prohibited List – 2022 (Prohibited List 2022). The substance LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) is a Non-Specified Substance and is prohibited at all times.
It was also determined that on and/or before 22 June 2022 Mr Boland Used a Prohibited Substance, namely LGD-4033 (Ligandrol), and from on and/or around 6 December 2021 to on and/or around 18 May 2022 Mr Boland Possessed a Prohibited Substance, namely LGD-4033 (Ligandrol).
Queensland Rugby League thereby imposed a two year and eight months ban on Mr Boland commencing on 18 May 2022.
Mr Boland is ineligible to participate in any sports that have adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy until 18 January 2025. He is also not permitted to compete in a non-Signatory professional league or Event organised by a non-signatory International Event organisation or a non-Signatory national-level Event organisation.
THE INTERNATIONAL TESTING AGENCY (ITA) REPORTS THAT HAUDENOSAUNEE NATIONALS LACROSSE PLAYER AUSTIN STAATS HAS ACCEPTED A 3-MONTH PERIOD OF INELIGIBILITY AFTER TESTING POSITIVE FOR PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES.
The ITA confirms that a sample collected in-competition from Austin Staats at the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship 2023 in San Diego, California (USA), returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the prohibited substances carboxy-THC, cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine.
The athlete established that he had consumed the prohibited substances out-of-competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance. His sanction was thus lowered to three months insofar as he meets the requirements of the mitigation regime of “Substance of Abuse” set forth in Article 10.2.4.1 of the World Lacrosse Anti-Doping Rules.¹
The athlete was declared ineligible from 6 September 2023 (date of the notification of the AAF) to 5 December 2023. The athlete’s individual results from 1 July 2023 (date of the sample collection) onwards, including all individual results obtained at the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship 2023, have also been disqualified.
The prosecution of the matter was handled by the ITA on behalf of World Lacrosse.
The ITA will not comment further on this case.
THE INTERNATIONAL TESTING AGENCY (ITA) REPORTS THAT HAUDENOSAUNEE NATIONALS LACROSSE PLAYER OAKLEY THOMAS HAS ACCEPTED A 3-MONTH PERIOD OF INELIGIBILITY AFTER TESTING POSITIVE FOR PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES.
The ITA confirms that a sample collected in-competition from Oakley Thomas at the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship 2023 in San Diego, California (USA), returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the prohibited substances carboxy-THC, cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine.
The athlete established that he had consumed the prohibited substances out-of-competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance. His sanction was thus lowered to three months insofar as he meets the requirements of the mitigation regime of “Substance of Abuse” set forth in Article 10.2.4.1 of the World Lacrosse Anti-Doping Rules.¹
The athlete was declared ineligible from 6 September 2023 (date of the notification of the AAF) to 5 December 2023. The athlete’s individual results from 1 July 2023 (date of the sample collection) onwards, including all individual results obtained at the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship 2023, have also been disqualified.
The prosecution of the matter was handled by the ITA on behalf of World Lacrosse.
The ITA will not comment further on this case.
Commission on preliminary consideration of anti-doping rules violations of RAA RUSADA rendered the decision that made athlete Kurbanov Nikita (basketball) ineligible for 3 months for violation under cl. 4.1 of the All-Russian Anti-Doping Rules, starting on the date of the decision, namely on January 10, 2024, with credit for the served period of provisional suspension, namely from October 20, 2023.
USADA announced today that Wyatt Davis of Ann Arbor, Mich., an athlete in the sport of swimming, has accepted a three-month period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation.
Davis, 22, tested positive for 11-nor-9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol (Carboxy-THC), a urinary metabolite of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, marijuana, and hashish, above the urinary Decision Limit of 180 ng/mL, as the result of a sample collected in-competition at the Phillips 66 National Championships on June 30, 2023.
Cannabis, marijuana, and hashish are Specified Substances in the class of Cannabinoids and are prohibited in competition under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the World Aquatics Doping Control Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (the Code) and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
Under the 2021 Code, THC is classified under a special category, “Substances of Abuse,” that allows for a reduced three-month sanction if the athlete establishes that their use of the substance occurred out-of-competition and was unrelated to sport performance. The sanction may be further reduced to one month if the athlete satisfactorily completes a treatment program approved by USADA. While USADA will continue to advocate to WADA, the rule maker, to treat marijuana in a fairer and more effective way to identify true in-competition use, we will also continue to advocate that those in need receive treatment for substance use as needed and as required under the current rule.
Davis qualified for a reduced sanction because his use occurred out-of-competition and was unrelated to sport performance. Davis accepted a three-month period of ineligibility that began on January 2, 2024, the date he accepted the sanction. In addition, Davis has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and after June 30, 2023, the date his positive sample was collected, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes. While the matter was pending, USADA determined that Davis violated his provisional suspension by participating in an activity authorized/organized by a Code signatory’s member organization. Therefore, Davis did not receive credit for any time he spent provisionally suspended.
In an effort to aid athletes, as well as support team members such as parents and coaches, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to file and update athlete Whereabouts, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements, as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs.
In addition, USADA manages a drug reference hotline, Global Drug Reference Online (GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as a supplement guide, a nutrition guide, a clean sport handbook, and periodic alerts and advisories.
USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. Any tip can be reported using the USADA Play Clean Tip Center, by text at 87232 (“USADA”), by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., by phone at 1-877-Play Clean (1-877-752-9253) or by mail.
USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.
Published Friday, 12 January 2024.
USADA announced today that an independent arbitrator has rendered a decision in the case of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete Andre Luiz Novaes Porfirio, of Miami, FL. After an evidentiary hearing on November 28, 2023, where both Porfirio and USADA were provided a full opportunity to present their cases and witnesses to the independent arbitrator, the arbitrator determined that Porfirio will receive a four-year sanction for multiple anti-doping rule violations. These violations occurred as a result of testing and intelligence from the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) World No-Gi Championship event in December 2022.
“Powerful performance-enhancing substances are a threat to both the safety of competitors and the integrity of competition,” said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart. “Robust testing and investigations, paired with an unflinching commitment to pursuing the truth, is absolutely necessary to ensuring that those who seek an unfair advantage are held accountable.”
Although the IBJJF is not a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, USADA was contracted by IBJJF to conduct the testing and results management program for the event, which also includes post-event out-of-competition testing. IBJJF has agreed to impose the below sanction.
The independent arbitrator determined that Porfirio, 26, committed two counts of evading sample collection by first fleeing the venue at the World No-Gi Championship on December 11, 2022 when he learned there would be testing. Porfirio again evaded sample collection on December 20, 2022, when USADA attempted to collect an out-of-competition urine sample, which Porfirio eventually provided. Evading sample collection, or refusing or failing to submit to sample collection, without compelling justification is a doping violation under the World Anti-Doping Code.
During USADA’s investigation into the circumstances of Porfirio’s first violation, the athlete admitted to using the prohibited substance testosterone prior to the World No-Gi Championship. Porfirio’s sample collected on December 20 also returned an atypical finding for testosterone and its metabolites after analysis using a specialized test known as Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS), which is capable of measuring the carbon isotope ratio of urinary steroids, such as testosterone and its metabolites, and confirming their synthetic origin. IRMS is a powerful tool that unequivocally differentiates between anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) naturally produced by the body and AAS of synthetic origin. Anabolic agents have powerful performance-enhancing capabilities and can give an athlete an unfair advantage over fellow competitors. IRMS testing confirmed that the prohibited anabolic agents detected in the athletes’ samples were consistent with external origin. Based on the admission of use and the atypical finding, the arbitrator concluded that Porfirio committed violations for presence of exogenous testosterone in his sample, as well as the use and/or attempted use of exogenous testosterone.
Porfirio’s four-year period of ineligibility began on March 21, 2023, the date his provisional suspension was imposed. In addition, Porfirio has been disqualified from all competitive results achieved in competitions sanctioned by the IBJJF, or any Code signatory, on and subsequent to December 8, 2022, the approximate first date he used testosterone, to March 21, 2023, the first day of his provisional suspension, including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes.
This decision, as well as other arbitral decisions, can be found here.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that Russian tennis player Vladislav Ivanov has been suspended from the sport for a period of four years by an independent tribunal following a breach of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP).
On 14 September 2022 at the M15 tournament in Morocco, Ivanov was notified to provide an in-competition urine sample and refused to do so, leaving the tournament venue. Although the player later returned to provide a sample, they were charged with an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under article 2.3 of the TADP for refusing to provide a sample when asked to do so.
Ivanov, who had a career-high world singles ranking of 835 in September 2022, requested a hearing before an independent tribunal convened by Sport Resolutions. The hearing was held remotely in November 2023. The Independent Tribunal determined that Mr. Ivanov’s conduct was intentional, within the meaning of TADP Article 10.2.3, and so imposed a period of ineligibility of four years. Results obtained at the Morocco event were also disqualified with forfeiture of ranking points and prize money. The panel noted that the player had received ITIA education about the anti-doping process and had provided a sample two weeks previously, therefore should have been aware of the rules.
The suspension will run from the date of the decision (21 December 2023) until midnight on 20 December 2027.
Karen Moorhouse, CEO of the ITIA, commented: “A player refusing to undertake a test is rare, but this sends a powerful message to any sportsperson about the devastating consequences if they do.
"We strongly urge players who are selected for testing to provide their sample at the earliest opportunity, listen carefully to instructions given to them by the Doping Control Officer and be chaperoned from the moment of notification through to sample collection. We understand that the testing process can be inconvenient, but it is vital in the fight for a clean sport.”
In accordance with TADP Article 10.14, during the period of ineligibility, the player is prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, French Tennis Federation, Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association.
The ITIA is an independent body established by its tennis members to promote, encourage, enhance, and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis worldwide.
Polish professional boxer Krzysztof Glowacki has been banned from all sport for a period of four years following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the Presence and Use of a Prohibited Substance.
On 21 January 2023, UKAD collected an In-Competition urine Sample from Mr Glowacki after his fight against Richard Riakporhe at the AO Arena in Manchester. Analysis of Mr Glowacki’s Sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for boldenone and its Metabolite, 17β-hydroxy-5β-androst-1-en-3-one.
Boldenone is listed under section S1 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2023 Prohibited List as an anabolic androgenic steroid. It is a non-Specified substance that is prohibited in sport at all times.
On 6 April 2023, UKAD notified Mr Glowacki that he may have committed two ADRVs contrary to Article 2.1 (Presence of a Prohibited Substance in an Athlete’s Sample) and 2.2 (Use or Attempted Use by an Athlete of a Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method) of the 2021 UK Anti-Doping Rules (‘ADR’). UKAD also provisionally suspended Mr Glowacki from all Code-compliant sport from this date.
On 2 June 2023, UKAD charged Mr Glowacki with both ADRVs. Mr Glowacki responded on 12 June 2023, denying the ADRVs and asserting that he had not taken any Prohibited Substance.
Mr Glowacki’s case was heard by the independent National-Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) on 31 October 2023. The NADP issued a decision on 21 November 2023 which imposed a period of Ineligibility of four years. Mr Glowacki’s period of Ineligibility commenced on 6 April 2023 and will expire at 11:59pm on 5 April 2027.
Speaking on the case, Hamish Coffey, UKAD Director of Operations said: “It is very important that athletes respect the rules and understand their responsibilities to uphold clean sport. Boldenone, as with all steroids, is performance enhancing and undermines the integrity of sport. There is no place for steroids in sport.”
USADA announced today that Ina Pfuhler, of Cincinnati, Ohio, an athlete in the sport of cycling, has accepted a two-year sanction for an anti-doping rule violation.
Pfuhler, 55, tested positive for an anabolic agent as the result of an in-competition sample collected at the Gran Fondo National Championship on September 17, 2023, a highly regarded cycling event where she placed second overall. Her urine sample was analyzed using a specialized test that differentiates between anabolic androgenic steroids naturally produced by the body and prohibited anabolic agents of external origin. She also declared the use of this substance in a follow-up email to USADA immediately following sample collection.
Anabolic agents, including testosterone, are Non-Specified Substances in the class of Anabolic Agents and are prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the International Cycling Union Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
After investigating, USADA determined that Pfuhler was taking testosterone at the direction of a physician but lacked a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). Under the USADA TUE Policy, an athlete has the responsibility to demonstrate that the medical need to treat an acute or chronic condition satisfies the strict criteria within the WADA International Standard for TUEs (ISTUE). Anabolic agents like testosterone have powerful performance-enhancing capabilities and can give an athlete an unfair advantage over fellow competitors, which is why criteria must be fulfilled beyond merely providing a prescription.
Pfuhler’s two-year period of ineligibility began on December 7, 2023, the date her provisional suspension was imposed. Pfuhler has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to September 17, 2023 including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes.
In an effort to aid athletes, as well as support team members such as parents and coaches, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to file and update athlete Whereabouts, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements, as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs.
In addition, USADA manages a drug reference hotline, Global Drug Reference Online (GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as a supplement guide, a nutrition guide, a clean sport handbook, and periodic alerts and advisories.
USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. Any tip can be reported using the USADA Play Clean Tip Center, by text at 87232 (“USADA”), by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., by phone at 1-877-Play Clean (1-877-752-9253) or by mail.
USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that four officials have been suspended from the sport for breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).
Three individuals – Lithuanian Edvinas Grigaitis, Georgian Givi Khudoiani, and Armenian Arsen Movsisyan – were sanctioned by independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer (AHO) Janie Soublière, while Austrian official Manuel Sperger accepted an agreed sanction directly with the ITIA, having been convicted of match-fixing activity in an Austrian criminal court following collaboration between the ITIA and Austrian authorities.
Grigaitis, a national-level official, received a three-year suspension for four breaches of the TACP, including delaying or manipulating the entry of scoring data for betting purposes, facilitating wagering, and conspiring to commit offenses.
Alongside three major breaches of the TACP, Grigaitis was also charged with wagering on tennis matches they were not involved in. The suspension is effective from 15 December 2023, and will end at midnight on 14 December 2026.
Khudoiani and Movsisyan, national-level officials, were found by AHO Soublière to have collaborated on a scheme to manipulate scoring data from matches in 2019 and 2020 for betting purposes. Khudoiani was found liable for 15 TACP breaches, and Movsisyan was found liable for six.
Khudoiani was handed a 14-year suspension and a $25,000 fine, and Movsisyan received a five-year suspension. The pair have been provisionally suspended since 14 July 2021 - while the investigation and case proceeded - and time served under provisional suspension will be credited against their period of ineligibility. As such, Khudoiani’s suspension will end at midnight on 13 July 2035, and Movsisyan’s suspension will end at midnight on 13 July 2026.
Sperger, a national-level official, was the subject of match-fixing-related proceedings in a criminal court in Innsbruck, Austria, and admitted to manipulating scores in 2016 and 2017 for betting purposes.
The ITIA charged Sperger with 12 offenses under the TACP, including manipulating the entry of scoring data for betting purposes and facilitating wagering. Sperger admitted to the offenses and accepted an agreed sanction of seven years and six months’ suspension, waiving their right to a hearing before an independent AHO.
The suspension is effective from 18 December 2023 and will end at midnight on 17 June 2031. In addition to their suspension, Sperger has been fined $25,000, of which $18,750 is suspended.
During their suspensions, Grigaitis, Khudoiani, Movsisyan and Sperger are prohibited from officiating at or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA: ATP, ITF, WTA, Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open, or any national association.
The ITIA is an independent body established by its tennis members to promote, encourage, enhance, and safeguard the integrity of professional tennis worldwide.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has today confirmed that Rugby League player Tobias Richardson received a three-month ban from all sport following an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) for the presence of a Prohibited Substance in his urine Sample. At the time of this announcement, the ban has been served and the player is free to resume participation in sport.
On 2 July 2023, UKAD collected an In-Competition urine Sample from Mr Richardson at a game between Midlands Hurricanes and Dewsbury Rams. Analysis of Mr Richardon’s urine Sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for cocaine and its Metabolite, benzoylecgonine.
Cocaine is listed under section S6A of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2023 Prohibited List as a stimulant. It is a non-Specified Substance that is prohibited In-Competition only. The WADA 2023 Prohibited List also identifies cocaine as a ‘Substance of Abuse’.
The UK Anti-Doping Rules (ADR), which implement the 2021 World Anti-Doping Code for sports in the UK, set out specific rules on how ADRVs relating to Substances of Abuse should be managed. Shorter bans of three months are available for such substances when found In-Competition if their ingestion takes place Out-of-Competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance.
On 17 August 2023, UKAD notified Mr Richardson that he may have committed ADRVs in violation of the ADR. Mr Richardson was also provisionally suspended from this date.
On 22 August 2023, Mr Richardson admitted that he had taken cocaine and that he had ingested it recreationally while in a social setting during the Out-of-Competition period on Friday 30 June 2023. UKAD instructed a scientific expert to examine whether the concentration of cocaine and benzoylecgonine detected in Mr Richardson’s Sample was consistent with the explanation he provided. The scientific expert’s opinion was that the Athlete’s explanation - that the cocaine had likely been consumed during the Out-of-Competition period - was scientifically plausible.
Mr Richardson was charged by UKAD on 12 October 2023 with the commission of an ADRV under ADR Article 2.1 (Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in an Athletes Sample). The player responded on 23 October 2023 accepting the charge and agreeing to the period of Ineligibility of three months asserted by UKAD.
Mr Richardson has been afforded credit for the time he has spent provisionally suspended. His period of Ineligibility was lifted on 16 November 2023.
Speaking on the case, UKAD Director of Operations, Hamish Coffey said:
“Cocaine is prohibited in sport. It’s a harmful drug and violates the spirit of sport. The rules are clear on substances of abuse. Athletes risk their careers and their reputations by using cocaine.”
The Rugby Football League and Rugby League Cares, the sport’s independent charity which leads on player welfare, added:
“Rugby League supports UKAD in its testing programme of players at all levels of the sport, in and out of competition, and in this case specifically the recent introduction of the Substance of Abuse programme following positive tests for recreational drugs – supporting players in recognising the dangers of substance misuse, and explaining the range of options for ongoing support – which in Rugby League is led by Rugby League Cares.”
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) today confirmed that Rugby League player Charley Bodman has been banned from all sport for a period of 18 months following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the Presence and Use of a Prohibited Substance.
On 25 April 2023, UKAD collected an Out-of-Competition urine Sample from Mr Bodman at a Cornwall RLFC training session. Analysis of Mr Bodman’s urine Sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for terbutaline.
Terbutaline is listed under S3 of WADA’s 2023 Prohibited List as a beta-2-agonist and is prohibited at all times.
On 26 May 2023, UKAD notified Mr Bodman that he may have committed ADRVs pursuant to Article 2.1 (Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in an Athlete’s Sample) and 2.2 (Use or Attempted Use of a Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method) of the 2021 UK Anti-Doping Rules (ADR), and provisionally suspended him.
Mr Bodman responded to UKAD’s Notice letter, explaining that he had been prescribed the Prohibited Substance, terbutaline, to treat asthma. As an athlete on the National TUE Pool, Mr Bodman is required to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption in advance of taking terbutaline.
Mr Bodman did apply retroactively for a TUE, but the application was denied by UKAD’s independent TUE Fairness Review Panel. The Panel concluded that Mr Bodman had neglected his anti-doping duties by not applying for a TUE in advance of taking his prescribed medication.
As a result of the decision, Mr Bodman did not possess a valid and applicable TUE for terbutaline at the time his sample was collected. Mr Bodman was therefore charged by UKAD with both ADRVs on 8 September 2023.
The player’s legal representatives responded to both charges admitting the violations but submitting that they were not ‘intentional’ within the meaning attributed to that term by ADR Article 10.2.3. His representatives also submitted that Mr Bodman bore no Significant Fault or Negligence in this matter, and was entitled to a reduction to the otherwise applicable (2) year period of Ineligibility in accordance with ADR Article 10.6.1(b).
UKAD considered Mr Bodman’s evidence and submissions and does not assert that the ADRVs were ‘intentional’. UKAD also considers that Mr Bodman has established that he bore No Significant Fault or Negligence such that he is entitled to a reduction of six months, leaving him with a ban of 18 months.
Mr Bodman’s period of Ineligibility is deemed to have commenced on 26 May 2023 and will expire at midnight on 25 November 2024.
Speaking on the case, UKAD Director of Operations, Hamish Coffey said:
“Medications prescribed by a doctor or bought over the counter may contain prohibited substances. It is an athlete’s responsibility to check their medication before using it, even if they have used it before.
“It is also imperative that athletes check whether they are included in UKAD’s National TUE Pool and to understand that, if they are, they are required to apply for a TUE in advance of using medication that contains a Prohibited Substance.”
The Rugby Football League added, “The RFL supports UKAD in its testing programme of players at all levels of the sport, in and out of competition. Players are responsible for checking the contents of any medication before use.
“The RFL works with RL Cares, the sport’s independent charity, to ensure support is available for players in cases such as this.”
UKAD’s Medicine and TUE Hub has information online for all athletes on how to check the anti-doping status of their medication. Athletes can also check whether they are included in the National TUE Pool. Visit UKAD’s Search Check Apply campaign for more information, including how and when to apply for a TUE.
The National Center for Sports Arbitration rendered a decision against athlete Karamasheva Svetlana (athletics) for violation under cl. 4.1 and cl. 4.2 of the All-Russian Anti-Doping Rules.
The National Center for Sports Arbitration upheld the decision of Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee of RUSADA (DADC) No. 34/2023 dated February 9, 2023, that made the Athlete ineligible for a period of 8 years from the date of the DADC decision, with credit for the served period of provisional suspension from June 17, 2021.
Published Friday, 08 December 2023.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has released its second quarterly testing report of the Financial Year covering July to September 2023 (quarter two of 2023/24).
UKAD conducted 2,175 tests during July to September 2023, an increase of 99 tests against the previous quarter (quarter one: 2,076 tests) and an increase of 81 tests against the same quarter of last year (quarter two 2022/23: 2,094).
The most tested sports in quarter two were football, cricket, rugby union, rugby league, athletics and professional boxing. DCP provide both in- and out-of-competition testing with no advanced notice, following the International Standard of Testing and Investigations.
UKAD’s Testing Programme targets the greatest threats to clean sport, which also focusses on the build-up to major sporting events. During this quarter, the Testing Programme targeted athletes preparing for places at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, as well as the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2023 France and the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
UKAD’s testing reports also include information on the number of whereabouts failures, adverse analytical findings, and anti-doping rule violations during the quarter.
Hamish Coffey, UKAD’s Director of Operations, said:
“The Testing Programme is a valuable tool in UKAD’s operations to maintain clean sport and support a level playing field for athletes. The Programme uses an intelligence-led and risk-based approach to target areas of sport and the individuals who we believe have the potential to dope, and this is complimented by our education work to support athletes on their responsibilities.
I’d like to thank our Doping Control Personnel who provide a world-class service collecting test samples, and all stakeholders and partners across sport and the Anti-Doping sector who we support through the Testing Programme.”
UKAD’s Intelligence-led Testing Programme is part of a multi-faceted approach which includes education, intelligence and investigations, assuring confidence in clean sport and protecting the integrity of sport.
To read the full report click here.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to publish version 9.0 of the Technical Document for Sport Specific Analysis (TDSSA), which will enter into force on 1 January 2024. The revised TDSSA was approved by WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) on 16 November 2023.
The TDSSA is a mandatory Level 2 document that must be implemented by all Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) that are signatories to the World Anti-Doping Code. The TDSSA is intended to ensure that the Prohibited Substances and/or Prohibited Methods within the scope of the TDSSA are subject to an appropriate and consistent minimum level of analysis (MLA) by all ADOs that conduct testing in those sports or disciplines deemed at risk.
WADA conducts an annual update of the TDSSA to ensure it remains fit for purpose. In 2023, a sub-working group consisting of five members from the Strategic Testing Expert Advisory Group (STEAG) and WADA staff conducted a detailed review of the TDSSA, which included analyzing the current text of the document as well as 2015-2022 ADAMS data. The sub-working group provided its recommendations to the STEAG during its in-person meeting on 30 and 31 August 2023.
Modifications to TDSSA version 8.0
A summary of modifications to the TDSSA version 8.0 can be found here and the redlined version of the TDSSA version 9.0 can be found here.
The amendments to the TDSSA will enter into force on 1 January 2024 with the exception to changes made to the MLAs for erythropoietin receptor agonists (ERAs) for four sports/disciplines which was increased from 15% to 30%. The changes to these MLAs will come into force on 1 January 2025, allowing ADOs sufficient time to incorporate these changes into their Test Distribution Plans. The four sports/disciplines are: Athletics – Combined Events, Canoe/Kayak – Ocean Racing, Orienteering and Para-Athletics, Running Middle Distance 800m - 1500m All Classes.
Application for Flexibility
ADOs are also reminded that in accordance with Article 4.7.2 of the International Standard for Testing and Investigations (ISTI), “an ADO may apply to WADA for flexibility in the implementation of the MLA specified for Prohibited Substances or Prohibited Methods as outlined in the TDSSA.” ADOs can apply for flexibility (up to 50%) in the implementation of the MLAs against set criteria listed in Articles 3 and 6 of the TDSSA.
TDSSA Testing Guides
Information on the Prohibited Substances and/or Prohibited Methods within the scope of the TDSSA and relevant guidance on Testing strategies are provided within the TDSSA Testing Guides. A Testing Guide on Gas Chromatography/Combustion/Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) is also available. ADO staff involved in test planning and target testing of athletes are advised to be familiar with these Testing Guides, which can be requested by contacting WADA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Should you have any questions or comments regarding the TDSSA version 9.0 or the application for flexibility, we invite you to contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
-
Around 250 samples collected in and out of competition
-
Indonesian anti-doping knowledge and experience boosted thanks to collaboration with FIFA anti-doping experts
-
Players and delegations educated on anti-doping matters
The most comprehensive anti-doping programme at a FIFA U-17 World Cup™ has been carried out at this year’s edition of the tournament in Indonesia. Over 200 urine samples have been collected in and out of competition, as well as more than 40 dried blood spot samples, which have been gathered for the first time ever in the competition’s history.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup 2023™ will leave a lasting legacy to the Indonesian anti-doping landscape, as the Indonesia Anti-Doping Organisation (IADO) has boosted its knowledge and experience by joining forces with FIFA’s anti-doping experts.
FIFA and IADO worked together in the lead-up and throughout the tournament , with the Indonesian doping control representatives receiving comprehensive training and assisting FIFA’s doping control officers during all in- and out-of-competition testing.
“Besides the anti-doping measures implemented before and during the competition, the exchanges held with local anti-doping officers will enable them to further develop anti-doping activities in Indonesia, which represents yet another aspect of the tournament’s positive legacy,” said FIFA Head of Anti-Doping Alexis Weber.
The tournament is marking the strongest out of competition testing in the history of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Also, educational videos were presented to participating teams at their respective Team Arrival Meetings, with all players receiving information on how the doping control process works and the aspects to consider when using food supplements, among other matters.
USADA announced today that Evan Forrest, of Winston-Salem, N.C., an athlete in the sport of weightlifting, has accepted a three-year period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation after testing positive for several potent performance-enhancing drugs.
“Testing continues to be a crucial way to detect doping and hold accountable athletes who are deliberately cheating their opponents,” said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart. “In these cases, it’s important that we apply the full force of the rules to ensure these bad actors can’t continue to corrupt sport at any level of competition.”
Forrest, 29, tested positive for boldenone and drostanolone, as well as metabolites of these substances, and also tested positive for metabolites of methandienone and nandrolone as the result of a urine sample collected at the 2023 North American Open Series 2 on September 17, 2023. Additionally, Forrest’s urine sample was analyzed using a specialized test known as Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS), that unequivocally differentiates between anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) naturally produced by the body and AAS of synthetic origin. The IRMS analysis further confirmed the presence of exogenous testosterone and its metabolites in Forrest’s sample.
All substances are Non-Specified Substances in the class of Anabolic Agents and are prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policy, and the International Weightlifting Federation Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
Under Article 10.8.1 of the Code, an athlete who faces an anti-doping rule violation that carries a period of ineligibility of four or more years may receive a one-year sanction reduction if the athlete admits the violation and accepts the asserted sanction within 20 days of notification of the alleged anti-doping rule violation charge. Per the rule, Forrest qualified for a one-year reduction to the otherwise applicable four-year period of ineligibility.
Forrest’s three-year period of ineligibility began on October 25, 2023, the date his provisional suspension was imposed. In addition, Forrest has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to September 17, 2023, the date his positive sample was collected, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.
In an effort to aid athletes, as well as support team members such as parents and coaches, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to file and update athlete Whereabouts, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements, as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs.
In addition, USADA manages a drug reference hotline, Global Drug Reference Online (GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as a supplement guide, a nutrition guide, a clean sport handbook, and periodic alerts and advisories.
USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. Any tip can be reported using the USADA Play Clean Tip Center, by text at 87232 (“USADA”), by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., by phone at 1-877-Play Clean (1-877-752-9253) or by mail.
USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has registered two Requests for Arbitration filed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in relation to (non-)compliance matters concerning the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) and the South African Institute for Drug-free Sport (SAIDS).
On 22 September 2023, the WADA Executive Committee endorsed the recommendation of its Compliance Review Committee (CRC) which alleged RUSADA to be non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code (the WADC) due to Russia’s federal sports legislation not being considered to be in line with the 2021 WADC. Similarly, on the same day, the WADA Executive Committee also endorsed the recommendation of the CRC to allege SAIDS as non-compliant with the WADC due to South Africa’s legislation not being considered to be in line with the 2021 WADA Code. Since both RUSADA and SAIDS have disputed their non-compliance, as set out in the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS), WADA has submitted both matters to the CAS Ordinary Arbitration Division for resolution.
Two separate CAS arbitration procedures have been registered. The procedures will be conducted according to the provisions of the ISCCS and the Code of Sports-related Arbitration (the CAS Code). In summary, for each procedure, there will be an exchange of written submissions while a Panel of three arbitrators is simultaneously constituted in accordance with the provisions of Article 9.4.1 of the ISCCS. Once appointed, the Panel for each matter will issue directions for the next phase of the proceedings and shall, save for extensions of time requested by the parties or other exceptional circumstances, issue its reasoned decision no later than three months after the date of its constitution. The Panels’ decisions will be publicly reported by CAS.
The decisions issued by the CAS Panels will be final and binding with the exception of the parties’ right to file an appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal within 30 days on limited grounds.
Disciplinary Anti-Doping Committee of RAA RUSADA rendered a decision that made athlete Molodtsov Dmitriy (weightlifting) ineligible for a period of 4 years for violation under cl. 2.2 of the All-Russian Anti-Doping Rules approved by Order No. 307 of the Ministry of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy of the Russian Federation dated April 13, 2011, starting on the date of the decision, namely August 25, 2023, with credit for the served period of provisional suspension, namely from September 05, 2022.
