Sport Integrity Australia today acknowledged the decision of the French Anti-Doping Agency to impose an 18-month ban on athlete Joshua Valentine for the presence of a prohibited substance. Mr Valentine, who was competing in the French Pro D2 Rugby Championship, returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) from an in-competition doping control test on 15 April 2018 which detected the presence of 1,4-Dimethylpentylamine.

Mr Valentine was ineligible to participate in any sports that have adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy from 30 October 2019 to 30 April 2021.

Additional information on the prohibited substance

1,4-Dimethylpentylamine is banned in-competition only under the S6 classification of Stimulants. The substance is similar in structure to 1,3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA), which can cause side effects including cerebral haemorrhage and heart attacks and has been linked to a number of deaths in Australia and overseas.

• This media release was published by Sport Integrity Australia on 29 September 2021. Click here for the original.