UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has confirmed that Ice Hockey player Ashley Calvert has been banned from all sport for a period of two-years following first Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the Use and Presence of Prohibited Substances.
On 5 December 2021, UKAD collected an In-Competition urine Sample from Mr Calvert at the Blackburn Ice Arena on the day of the Solihull Barons versus Blackburn Hawks match. Analysis of Mr Calvert’s Sample returned Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) for morphine, oxycodone and oxymorphone.
Morphine, oxycodone and oxymorphone are listed under S7 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2021 Prohibited List as narcotics. These substances are Specified substances that are prohibited In-Competition only.
On 17 March 2022, UKAD notified Mr Calvert of the AAFs and invited him, if applicable, to submit a retroactive Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) application in accordance with WADA’s International Standards for TUEs. Mr Calvert failed to provide a fully completed retroactive TUE application to UKAD.
On 10 August 2022, UKAD notified Mr Calvert that he may have committed ADRVs in breach of the 2021 UK Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) and issued him with a Provisional Suspension from all Code-compliant sport on the same date. On 18 November 2022, UKAD charged Mr Calvert with the commission of two ADRVs: under ADR Article 2.1 (Presence of a Prohibited Substance); and ADR Article 2.2 (Use of a Prohibited Substance).
The case was heard by an independent tribunal of the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP). Mr Calvert chose not to participate in the NADP process, and the case was therefore determined without an oral hearing. The NADP found the charges proven and imposed a two-year ban from sport on Mr Calvert. This is deemed to have commenced on 10 August 2022 and will expire at 23:59 on 9 August 2024.
Speaking on the case, Hamish Coffey, UKAD Director of Operations, said: “Athletes must check the anti-doping status of medicines and their ingredients on Global DRO before using them, even if they’ve been prescribed the medication by a doctor or purchased medication over the counter. Medicines and treatments may contain banned substances or involve methods of administration that are prohibited in sport.
“Under the Anti-Doping Rules, strict liability applies to all athletes and means that it is the athlete’s responsibility to know exactly what goes into their body.”
