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Wed, September 26, 2018

UKAD v Thomas Curry (WRU) (First Instance)

Summary

  • Sport: Rugby Union
  • Issue: Arbitration
  • Type: Anti-Doping
  • Tribunal: Christopher Quinlan QC, Professor Peter Sever, Lorraine Johnson
  • Decision date: 26 September 2017
  • Outcome: A period of Ineligibility imposed by the Tribunal was four (4) years.

Decision Details

On 08 April 2017, Thomas Curry, a student registered with the WRU as a rugby union player, was subject to In-Competition testing following a National Championship match between Newcastle Emlyn RFC and Glynneath RFC.

Analysis of Mr Curry’s urine sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding for benzoylecgonine a metabolite of cocaine.  Mr Curry was subsequently charged with the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) for the Presence of a Prohibited Substance under UK Anti-Doping Rule (ADR) Article 2.1 and the matter referred to the NADP for determination.

The NADP Tribunal consisting of Mr Christopher Quinlan QC (Chairman), Professor Peter Sever, and Ms Lorraine Johnson were not satisfied that Mr Curry had taken cocaine Out-of-Competition in a context unrelated to sports performance, and thus could not establish that the commission of the ADRV was not intentional. The Tribunal determined that the applicable period of Ineligibility to be imposed should be four years commencing on 28 April 2017.