The Sports Tribunal has suspended Nicholas Byrne, a cyclist, for a period of four years for the presence of testosterone and anastrozole and their metabolites, in a sample taken from him at the New Zealand Age Group Cycling Championships on 20 April 2018. Testosterone and its metabolites are non- specified substances prohibited at all times under class S1.1B Anabolic Agents on the 2018 Prohibited List. Anastrozole and its metabolites are specified substances prohibited at all times under class S4.1 Hormone and Metabolic Modulators on the 2018 Prohibited List.

Mr Byrne was provisionally suspended without opposition on 29 June 2018 and requested an analysis of his B sample which was tested on 11 July 2018. Following the results confirming the A sample, DFSNZ filed substantive anti-doping rule violation proceedings on 24 July 2018. On 7 August 2018 Mr Byrne admitted the violation and asked to be heard as to the appropriate sanction to be imposed. A hearing was set down for 27 August 2018 to determine the issue of penalty.

On 24 August 2018 a joint memorandum was provided to the Tribunal on behalf of DFSNZ and Mr Byrne. In the memorandum Mr Byrne accepted his conduct was in breach of the Code and that he was subject to a four-year period of ineligibility. It was proposed the period of commencement should be backdated given his prompt admission of the violation.

Having considered all available material, the Tribunal imposed a four-year sanction backdated to commence from 20 April 2018 for Mr Byrne’s timely admission and cooperation. The Tribunal further ordered that Mr Byrne’s results in the Senior Men’s 25 kilometre Time Trial at the 2018 National Age Group Cycling Championships be disqualified.

• This media release was published by the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand (STNZ) on 28 August 2018. Click here for the original, and click here for the full decision.