UK Anti-Doping v Craig Campbell

Thu, July 27, 2023

A decision in the case of UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) against Craig Campbell has been issued by the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP).

On 02 February 2023, UKAD issued Mr Campbell, a former player coach, with a Notice of Charge for committing Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) in 2018 for Possession of a Prohibited Substance and Trafficking or Attempted Trafficking of a Prohibited Substance, pursuant to Article 2.6 and 2.7 of the Scottish Football Association Anti-Doping Rules 2017/2018.

The National Anti-Doping Tribunal, comprised of Robert Englehart KC (Chair), Professor Kitrina Douglas, and Professor Dorian Haskard, was appointed to determine this matter on the papers.

On 27 October 2018, Mr Campbell the Brora Rangers player coach, was stopped by police officers outside the club’s football ground at Dudgeon Park in Brora. The police officers found in Mr Campbell’s possession a quantity of Cocaine, a Class A drug and Prohibited Substance, alongside £2,515 in cash. This was seized by the police officers and Mr Campbell was charged with the offence of supplying Cocaine. Originally, on 14 October 2019, Mr Campbell pleaded not guilty in the criminal case but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the time the case took to reach it’s conclusion, on 30 September 2020 changed his plea to guilty. The Court made a confiscation order of the £2,515 cash which had been seized and in addition a fine of £750.

On 22 December 2022, UKAD issued a Notice Letter to Mr Campbell in relation to the ADRVs he may have committed, and informing him he was provisionally suspended. Mr Campbell applied to have the Provisional Suspension lifted. This application was dismissed by decision dated 18 January 2023. Mr Campbell accepted that he had committed the two ADRVs under ADR Article 2.6 and ADR Article 2.7.

Accordingly, the Tribunal were satisfied that Mr Campbell had committed the ADRVs pursuant to ADR Articles 2.6 and 2.7 and imposed a period of Ineligibility of four years. The sanction is imposed retroactively, commencing on 22 December 2022, the date Mr Campbell was provisionally suspended, and will end at 23:59 on 21 December 2026.

The National Anti-Doping Panel is the United Kingdom’s independent tribunal responsible for adjudicating anti-doping disputes in sport. It is operated by Sport Resolutions and is entirely independent of UK Anti-Doping who is responsible for investigating, charging and prosecuting cases before the NADP.

A copy of the full decision can be accessed via the related links tab on the right-hand side.