The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) announced today that Justin Maheu, a Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) soccer player from Cape Breton University, received a sanction of 18 months for an anti-doping rule violation. The athlete’s urine sample, collected during in-competition doping control on October 25, 2015, revealed the presence of ephedrine.

Ephedrine is classified as a ‘specified substance’ on the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List; it is prohibited only when the urinary concentration exceeds 10 microgram/mL. Under the rules of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP), the period of ineligibility for a first violation for the presence of a ‘specified substance’ is two years, unless an athlete can meet the conditions for eliminating or reducing the period of ineligibility.

In response to the CCES’ notification of the adverse analytical finding, Mr. Maheu admitted the anti-doping rule violation and a hearing was held to determine the sanction length. Arbitrator Brunet imposed a sanction of 18 months ineligibility from sport, terminating April 24, 2017. The athlete, who resides in Ottawa, Ontario, is ineligible to participate in any capacity with any sport signatory to the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP), including training with teammates. A copy of the full decision can be found at www.crdsc-sdrcc.ca.

• This media release was originally published on the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport’s (CCES) internet site on 15 June. You can access the original by clicking here.