Rugby League player Ryan Snowden banned for three years for Anti-Doping Rule Violation
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has confirmed that Rugby League player Ryan Snowden has been banned from all sport for a period of three years, following first Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the Use and Presence of Prohibited Substances in his urine Sample.
On 13 December 2022, UKAD collected an Out-of-Competition urine Sample from Mr Snowden at a Batley Bulldogs RLFC squad test. Analysis of Mr Snowden’s urine Sample returned Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) for ostarine (enobosarm) and clenbuterol.
Ostarine and clenbuterol are listed under section 1.2 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2022 Prohibited List as Anabolic Agents. They are non-Specified Substances that are prohibited at all times.
On 10 February 2023, UKAD notified Mr Snowden that he may have committed ADRVs pursuant to Article 2.1 (Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in an Athlete’s Sample) and 2.2 (Use or Attempted Use of a Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method) of the 2021 UK Anti-Doping Rules (ADR), and provisionally suspended him from that date.
Mr Snowden responded to UKAD’s Notice letter on 16 March 2023 admitting the ADRVs, explaining that he had taken a supplement that contained the Prohibited Substances.
UKAD charged Mr Snowden with both ADRVs on 05 April 2023, which Mr Snowden promptly accepted.
In accordance with ADR Article 10.8.1, Mr Snowden was able to reduce the four-year asserted period of Ineligibility to three years, after admitting the violations and accepting the asserted period of Ineligibility within twenty days of the Charge Letter.
Mr Snowden’s three-year ban from all WADA Code-compliant sport commenced on 10 February 2023 and will expire at midnight on 09 February 2026.
Speaking on the case, Hamish Coffey, UKAD’s Director of Operations said: “There is no place for anabolic steroids in sport and there are serious consequences for athletes caught taking them.
It is important that all athletes follow the Anti-Doping Rules and understand the risks associated with using supplements.”
The Rugby Football League added: “We support UKAD in their determination to ensure that sport is clean, and therefore in their testing programme in and out of competition, of part-time as well as full-time players. This is another example of how strict liability places responsibility on all athletes in these matters, and the serious repercussions of a positive test.”
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