The trouble with Ostarine: Jimmy Wallhead’s
16th March 2018
Features
The SII Anti-Doping Monitor – week ending 19 August 2022
Fifteen athletes from ten countries, competing in ten sports, were involved in anti-doping proceedings that came to light during the past week. Two cases didn’t involve actual anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs), but allegations that substances were administered in order to cheat at sport. The first case involved allegations that a powerful opioid-based pain medication was administered to a cyclist; the second that alcohol was given to a greyhound.
Tramadol has featured on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Monitoring Programme since 2012, however it doesn’t feature on its Prohibited List. In March 2019, the International Cycling Union (UCI) banned its use during competition, due to concerns that cyclists were suffering from drowsiness and lack of concentration after using it to manage pain.
On 17 August, the UCI disqualified Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas from the 2022 Tour de France for use of Tramadol. ‘The analyses of two dried blood samples provided by the rider on 8 and 13 July during the 2022 Tour de France revealed the presence of tramadol and its two main metabolites’, read a UCI statement.
Quintana insists he hasn’t used the painkiller. ‘Today I was surprised to learn of the announcement by the UCI of an infraction for the use of Tramadol’, read a statement (below). ‘I am completely unaware of the use of this substance and I deny having used it in my career. With my team of lawyers we are exhausting all the processes to assume my defence.’
— NairoQuinCo (@NairoQuinCo) August 17, 2022
Quintana’s team announced that he is not provisionally suspended, however he was withdrawn from the Vuelta Ciclista a España in what was announced as a joint decision. Quintana’s lawyer told Cycling News that the Colombian will be appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the cancellation of his results.
In Australia, a Police investigation into a criminal syndicate suspected to be involved in the supply of prohibited drugs in the Sydney area discovered that a June 2021 greyhound meeting had been subject to manipulation. ‘Following further inquiries, strike force detectives executed a search warrant at a property in Larass Lee at 7.30am on Wednesday 20 July 2022. A 63-year-old man was arrested at the property and taken to Orange Police Station.
‘He was charged with two counts of use corrupt conduct information to bet on event, and one count each of engage in conduct that corrupts betting outcome of event, and possess corrupt conduct info communicate to other. Police will allege in court the man – who is a greyhound dog trainer – administered alcohol to one of his dogs prior to a race meeting and then wagered a successful bet against a rival dog totalling $4,000.’ The Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission (GWIC) announced that Augustus Weekes had been provisionally suspended ‘pending the finalisation of criminal charges brought against him’.
Please continue to send any cases we may have missed or suggestions through to our editor by clicking here. Also, if you’re an athlete, national anti-doping organisation (NADO) or other Results Management Authority and you’d like us to cover a case that you’re involved with, please get in touch! Also – a reminder. The SII Anti-Doping Monitor only features confirmed AAFs (‘positive tests’) or confirmed anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs).
Decision links
Pavel Kryvitski, Nadezhda Ostapchuk & Alena Kiyevich (AIU List of First Instance Decisions);
Fernando Tatis Jr. (MLB Statement & MLBPA Statement);
Jaafar Naseri (Iran NADO Statement);
Taye Girma Arit (AIU List of First Instance Decisions & Decision);
Erick Alejandro Rivera & Sabri Ali Mohamed (FIFA Statement; Erick Rivera Decision & Sabri Ali Mohamed Decision);
Matvey Kovalenko (RUSADA Decision);
Andrey Alypov (RUSADA Decision);
Mehdi Jafari (Iran NADO Statement);
Gregory Walker (USADA Statement);
Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (UCI Statement & athlete Statement);
Mathias Flückiger (Swiss Sport Integrity Statement);
Augustus Weekes (NSW Police Statement, Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission Statement)
