A change in doping regulations saved New Zealand rower Dane Boswell from a longer suspension than the two months handed to him today for testing positive to a banned drug.
Waikato representative Boswell, who rowed for New Zealand at the 2006 and 2007 world championships, was found to have used diuretic and masking agent probenecid last November in testing by Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ).
Boswell admitted a violation after both his A and B samples tested positive but pleaded it was an inadvertent mistake, having been prescribed probenecid to treat an injured hand. Neither the doctor nor Boswell knew probenecid was a prohibited substance.
However, the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand found Boswell had received appropriate anti-doping education but had not followed correct procedure. He had failed to tell his doctor he was an athlete subject to drug testing nor use the DFSNZ information services that were available.
At the time of the violation, the penalty for using probenecid was a two-year suspension.
However, under the international doping rule changes from January 1, probenecid has been re-categorised as a "specified substance" with a range of lesser penalties that can be applied.
Although the violation happened before January 1, the Tribunal is entitled to impose lesser penalties if it considers it appropriate.
source: newshub archive
