Kayaker Tate Smith, who won gold in London as a member of the K4 1000m team in 2012, tested positive to prohibited substance 3’-hydroxystanozolol glucuronide, a metabolite of the steroid Stanozolol in July last year. At the time, he was training in Hungary with three other members of the Australian Canoeing Team in preparation for the world championships scheduled to be held in Moscow in August 2014.
Smith was issued with an infraction notice by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) in December last year and requested a hearing before CAS. The paddler argued that Stanozolol was in the water where he trained and had somehow entered his system, either through drinking local water, contamination of his sample, or that it penetrated his skin while training. In handing down its decision, CAS found Smith had failed to establish how Stanozolol entered his system. In its decision, CAS noted that three other training colleagues tested at the same time and place as Smith returned samples that were clear of prohibited substances.
Smith’s two-year ban was backdated to September 8, 2014 — the date of his provisional suspension — and he is ineligible to compete until September 8, 2016.
Christopher Johnstone appeared on behalf of Australian Canoeing and the Australian Sports Commission, instructed by ASADA.
For recent press coverage of the case, please click here and here.
A copy of the decision can be found here.
