Fourteen athletes from ten countries, competing in ten sports, were involved in anti-doping proceedings that came to light during the week ending 31 March. Cases involved reduced sanctions issued to two national team footballers; a one year ban issued to a wheelchair tennis player despite him proving that his adverse analytical finding (AAF – or ‘positive test’) was due to medication; and Artem Nabiulin (Артемом Набиулиным), a Russian ski-cross Champion sanctioned for ‘whereabouts’ failures.

Fahad Al-Muwallad has had an 18 month ban reinstated following an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The Winger was withdrawn from the Saudi Arabia national team ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup after an AAF involving Furosemide, and was sanctioned with an 18 month ban. 

Al-Muwallad appealed to the Saudi Sports Arbitration Centre, which reduced his ban to two months. WADA withdrew an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after a ‘settlement agreement’ was reached with the Saudi Arabian Anti-Doping Committee (SAADC), the agency announced. Al-Muwallad’s suspension is backdated to his provisional suspension, which means that his 18 month ban will end on 20 August.

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— الرقابة على المنشطات (@Saudi_Nado) March 26, 2023

Mario Vušković has been sanctioned with a two year ban for an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) involving Erythropoietin (EPO), backdated to 15 November 2022. The German football association (DFB) said that the 21 year old’s young age and his involvement in team sport were factors in its Decision to issue a two year ban. The Croatian, backed by his club (Hamburger S.V.) will appeal the ban.

Wheelchair tennis player Kim Kyu-Seung has been sanctioned with a one year ban, despite proving that his AAF for Hydrochlorothiazide was due to a change in his prescription to treat hypertension. Kyu-Seung was usually prescribed Telmirotan tablets, which don’t contain Hydrochlorothiazide. He argued that his Doctor had changed his prescription to Telmirotan Plus tablets. 

‘The ITF accepts that the Player bears No Significant Fault or Negligence within the meaning of TADP Article 10.6.1 on the basis that when he was prescribed Telmirotan by his doctor in order to treat hypertension he reviewed the medication’s ingredients against the WADA 2021 Prohibited List to ensure that the medication did not contain any Prohibited Substance, and his doctor subsequently changed his prescription to Telmirotan Plus (a very similarly packaged medication) without notifying him, which is why the Player did conduct his usual precautions’, reads the Decision. Kyu-Seung didn’t argue that he bore no fault or negligence, so was sanctioned with a one year ban. The ITF was keen to backdate his ban to 4 November 2022, the date of his provisional suspension. However in early 2023, the ITF became aware that he had trained with the Korean team and participated in a selection match.

Participation in sport is prohibited while a player is subject to a provisional suspension. Kyu-Seung was therefore sanctioned with a one year ban from the 24 March 2023 date of the Decision.

Please continue to send any cases we may have missed or suggestions through to the 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

Olivier Marc Chaupard (AFLD Decision);

Gavin Marguerite (AFLD Decision);

Hamza Belmer (AFLD Decision);

Fahad al-Muwallad (SAADC Statement);

Kim Kyu-Seung (ITF Statement, full Decision);

Robert Oakley (UKAD Statement, full Decision);

Svetlana Karamasheva (RusAF Statement);

Esther Macharia (AIU List of Provisional Suspensions);

Maria Pravdina (RUSADA Statement);

Artem Nabiulin (RUSADA Statement);

Natalya Guk (RUSADA Statement);

Rodolpho Riskalla (ITA Statement);

Mario Vuskovic (DFB Statement, Hamburger S.V. Statement);

Federico Caselli (NADO Italia Statement)