Athlone swimmer banned for anti-doping rule violation
Swim Ireland and Sport Ireland have jointly announced that Athlone swimmer Robert Powell has committed an anti-doping rule violation.
In an out of competition doping control test on November 28, 2019, Powell provided a sample which tested positive for the presence of a prohibited substance, Clostebol.
Powell (pictured above) admitted the rule violation but maintained it was unintentional - which was accepted by Sport Ireland.
He has accepted a period of ineligibility of one year commencing on November 28 of last year.
Pursuant to Article 9.3 of the Rules, the athlete’s results from November 28, 2019 (the date of the sample collection) to January 10, 2020 (the date of provisional suspension) are disqualified, including a forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.
Sport Ireland has accepted that the anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) was not intentional and that Powell "bore no significant fault or negligence".
As part of the investigative process, the 20-year-old swimmer provided detailed submissions, along with supporting documentation, as to how clostebol came to be in his system.
Powell provided medical evidence establishing that he had suffered from eczema since he was a child. During the 2018 Youth Olympics in Argentina, he was prescribed a cream called 'Denvercort' by the Irish team doctor. This cream does not contain any prohibited substances.
The athlete was also in possession of a cream called Trofodermin, a topical cream which does contain Clostebol. It is stated by Sport Ireland that the branding and colour of the tube looks very similar to Denvercort.
During a flare-up in eczema, the athlete submitted that he had applied a pea-sized amount of what he believed to be Denvercort to his hands (the affected area), but instead applied Trofodermin in error.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) analysed the sample and confirmed that the concentration of clostebol - 1.3 nanograms per millilitre of a clostebol metabolite - found in the athlete's sample was consistent with his explanation. A nanogram is one-billionth of a gramme.
In line with Article 10.8 of the Rules, during the athlete's period of ineligibility he remains subject to testing. He may not participate in any competition or activity (other than anti-doping education programmes) organised by Swim Ireland or any club affiliated to Swim Ireland. This includes training and coaching.
Sport Ireland's reasoned decision pursuant to Article 7.6.4 is available at: https://www.sportireland.ie/anti-doping/sanctions
STORY UPDATE: - See Robbie Powell's statement HERE