The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) announced today that Ana Laura Portuondo-Isasi, a judo athlete, received a sanction of two years for an anti-doping rule violation. The athlete’s urine sample, collected during in-competition doping control on May 17, 2015, revealed the presence of salbutamol in excess of the threshold stated in the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.

The presence of salbutamol, classified as a “specified substance” on the Prohibited List, is considered an adverse analytical finding when the urinary concentration exceeds 1,000ng/mL. Under the rules of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP), an athlete facing a first violation involving a “specified substance” can seek to have the sanction reduced. Based on CCES’ assessment of the athlete’s degree of fault, the CCES proposed a sanction period of two years.

In response to the CCES’ notification of the adverse analytical finding, Ms. Portuondo-Isasi acknowledged the anti-doping rule violation and a hearing was held to determine the sanction length. Arbitrator Patrice Brunet imposed a sanction of two years ineligibility from sport, terminating May 16, 2017. The athlete, who resides in La Prairie, Quebec, 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 here (in French).

• This media release was originally published on the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) internet site on 10 March 2016. To access the original, please click here.