Rugby Player Sanctioned For Importing Clenbuterol

The New Zealand Rugby Judicial Committee (the Committee) has banned rugby player Carlin Wilkinson-Ballantine for four years after a package addressed to the athlete was intercepted by the NZ Customs Service in February 2024 and found to contain clenbuterol and tamoxifen.

Mr Wilkinson-Ballantine admitted to purchasing clenbuterol for the purpose of improving his sporting performance but denied purchasing the tamoxifen. The Committee ruled that he had violated the Sports Anti-Doping Rules for his purchase of clenbuterol but was not comfortably satisfied that he ordered the tamoxifen. He was banned from all sport for four years, backdated to 10 June 2024.

Clenbuterol and tamoxifen are banned in sport at all times in accordance with anti-doping rules. Clenbuterol is an anabolic agent. It has no approved medical use but is used in a doping context to reduce body fat and gain muscle mass. Tamoxifen is a hormone and metabolic modulator, used medically to treat certain types of breast cancer. In a doping context, it is used to counter the side effects of steroid abuse.

Commission CEO Rebecca Rolls commented on the harm that intentional doping can do to all those who play sport, not just the person using banned substances.

“Doping doesn’t just put an individual’s health at risk, it denies all those who play sport the chance to compete on a level playing field. No New Zealand athlete should lose a competition, medal or place on a team to someone who has doped to get there. That’s why we have Sports Anti-Doping Rules - to protect athlete health and the right to fair play, whatever our level of competition.”

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