Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges the decision of Baseball Australia to impose a one-month ban on baseball player Timothy Atherton for the Presence of a metabolite of a Prohibited Substance.
Mr Atherton, who plays for the Brisbane Bandits in the Australian Baseball League, returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) from an In-Competition doping control test on 8 January 2023 at the Australian Baseball League game between the Adelaide Giants and the Brisbane Bandits at Dicolor Stadium, West Beach, South Australia.
Mr Atherton's sample was analysed at the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory, part of the National Measurement Institute, and the presence of Benzoylecgonine (metabolite of Cocaine) was detected.
As of 1 January 2021, under Article 10.2.4.1 of the Australian National Anti-Doping Policy 2021 (ANADP), if an athlete tests positive to a 'Substance of Abuse' (such as Marijuana or Cocaine), then the athlete's period of Ineligibility may be reduced to three months if the athlete is able to prove that the substance was ingested or Used Out-of-Competition and was unrelated to sport performance.
In addition, the period of Ineligibility calculated under Article 10.2.4.1 may be further reduced to one month if the athlete satisfactorily completes a Substance of Abuse treatment program approved by Sport Integrity Australia or another Anti-Doping Organisation.
In Mr Atherton's case, both requirements for a reduction in the period of Ineligibility under Article 10.2.4.1 of the ANADP were satisfied. As a result, Baseball Australia imposed a one-month ban on Mr Atherton, commencing on 8 March 2023.
Mr Atherton was ineligible to participate in any sports that have adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy until 8 April 2023.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE PROHIBITED SUBSTANCE
The substance Cocaine is listed under Class S6.A (Non-Specified Stimulants) of the World Anti-Doping Code Prohibited List 2023 (Prohibited List) and is prohibited In-Competition. It is also classified as a Non-Specified Substance and as a Substance of Abuse under the Prohibited List.
Generally, Cocaine produces an intense 'rush' with users feeling a sense of alertness, arousal and increased confidence. Many users find the drug addictive and may face a number of short- and long-term health problems including an irregular heartbeat, chest pain, kidney failure, and seizures or stroke.
