The New Zealand Sports Tribunal issued a reprimand to Claudia Hanham today, after she tested positive for Prednisone – not featured on WADA’s Prohibited List – following medical treatment. Drug-Free New Zealand (DFNZ) filed for a provisional suspension of Hanham on 10 November after she tested positive whilst playing hockey.

Hanham, who plays several sports for New Zealand at representative level, said that she didn’t know Prednisone was prohibited, and had checked it against the World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2014 Prohibited List, but not with DFNS, which lists Prednisone as prohibited. She had been prescribed the drug in March 2014 after being admitted to hospital with severe chest pain.

The Tribunal said that she had been diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney nephritis, ‘an extremely serious condition that could result in kidney failure and early mortality…Claudia was immediately prescribed a very high dose of Prednisone (plus other medications)’. Since learning of the positive test, Hanham has applied for, and been granted, a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for Prednisone.

The Tribunal accepted Hanham’s explanation that she didn’t know Prednisone was prohibited. ‘Claudia clearly is not a drug cheat and was a young woman subject to a sudden and serious life threatening medical situation requiring treatment’, read its judgment. ‘While she should in hindsight have made better inquiries, in these particular circumstances a reprimand is all that is required’.

Prednisone is prohibited under the 2014 Prohibited List, despite not being listed. It is a ‘specified substance’ under class S9 Glucocorticosteroids, which specifies: ‘All glucocorticosteroids are prohibited…’ AS Roma striker Marco Borriello was suspended whilst playing for AC Milan in 2007, after testing positive for Prednisone. He said that he had taken the substance to treat an STD.