Overview:

Anti-doping – cannabis – recreational use at party – athlete admitted violation – Tribunal accepted corroborated evidence that cannabis use not intended to enhance sports performance – no mitigating factors – aggravating factors were that that he was an experienced athlete who knew he was taking prohibited substance and used it the night before tournament – Tribunal required to credit provisional suspension period – Tribunal considered whether provisional suspension period had impact as NZ softball season was finished – however provisional suspension period had disturbed his plans to play softball overseas and he had put his softball career on hold for a year as a result, therefore provisional suspension had impacted on him – given recent cases of cannabis violations involving softballers, the Tribunal warned softball payers in general that if they should appear before the Tribunal for cannabis violations, the Tribunal may start imposing harsher penalties – 2 months’ ineligibility imposed (commencing from 30 March 2009 to take account of provisional suspension).