CCES – (Ottawa, Ontario – January 3, 2018) – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) announced today that Nicolas Cross, a U SPORTS football athlete, received a sanction of two months for an anti-doping rule violation. The athlete’s urine sample, collected during in-competition doping control on October 28, 2017, revealed the presence of cannabis.
The presence of cannabis, classified as a “specified substance” on the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List, is considered an adverse analytical finding when the urinary concentration exceeds 150 ng/ml. Under the rules of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP), an athlete facing a first violation involving a “specified substance” can seek to have the sanction reduced to a reprimand. Based on the CCES’ assessment of the athlete’s degree of fault, the CCES proposed a sanction period of two months ineligibility.
In response to the CCES’ notification of the adverse analytical finding, Mr. Cross admitted the violation in a timely fashion (in accordance with CADP Rule 10.11.2), waived his right to a hearing and accepted the proposed sanction of two months ineligibility from sport (which terminates on January 4, 2018). The athlete, who resides in Regina, Saskatchewan, is ineligible to participate in any capacity with any sport signatory to the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP), including training with teammates, during the sanction period.
In compliance with rule 7.10 of the CADP, the CCES’ file outcome summary can be found at www.cces.ca/sanctionreg.
The CCES is an independent, national, not-for profit organization with a responsibility to administer the CADP. Under the CADP rules, the CCES announces publicly every anti-doping rule violation. We recognize that true sport can make a great difference for individuals, communities and our country. We are committed to working collaboratively to activate a values-based and principle-driven sport system; protecting the integrity of sport from the negative forces of doping and other unethical threats; and advocating for sport that is fair, safe and open to everyone.
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