Cricketer Banned From All Sport For Two Years

Cricketer Banned From All Sport For Two Years

The Sports Tribunal of New Zealand has banned cricketer Adam King for two years for possession and use of banned substances. The offending occurred over a ten-month period in 2014 and 2015.

Drug Free Sport NZ (DFSNZ) received information from Medsafe that Mr King had ordered online two anabolic steroids in 2014 and two hormones in 2015 and subsequently took the case to the Sports Tribunal.

DFSNZ chief executive Graeme Steel says that there is a very high risk of being caught for athletes who order prohibited substances online.

“We work closely with Medsafe NZ and other enforcement agencies to share information regarding potential breaches of the Sports Anti-Doping Rules. Those considering doping should never think that drug testing is the only tool we have at our disposal,” he says.

“It’s not just high performance athletes who can get caught out for possession and use of prohibited substances. The Sports Anti-Doping Rules apply to athletes at all levels of sport and those who buy prohibited substances online are making a huge mistake, and as well as cheating, are putting their health and their sporting career at great risk.

“In this case, Mr King has paid a high price for a poor decision which has affected his future in cricket,” Mr Steel says.

“Anyone who thinks they can possess or take prohibited substances and get away with it, should think again.”

The case also highlights the fact that using banned substances to get ‘an edge’ is outright cheating.

“No matter what level of sport, using steroids or any other prohibited substances simply does not fit with the New Zealand sense of what good clean sport is all about,” Mr Steel says.

“It’s a shame that athletes resort to taking shortcuts such as this to enhance their performance on the sports field. Success cannot be satisfying when you know you had an illegal advantage that others didn’t.”

Read the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand decision here.

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