While the Armstrong scandal, the suspension of cyclist, Frank Schleck, and the recent slew of Russian athletes receiving doping bans¹ demonstrates that the familiar culprits (cyclists, track and field athletes, swimmers, former Eastern bloc athletes) continue to engage in foul practices, recent developments in the doping world indicate that less familiar suspects are increasingly in the frame.

UK Anti-Doping has today confirmed that professional boxer Craig Windsor has been banned from sport for three years and nine months following an anti-doping rule violation.

Mr Windsor has been charged with possession of two prohibited substances and use of one based on non-analytical evidence that was obtained by UK Anti-Doping in January 2013.

There has been a spate of doping scandals hitting the Indian sports scene. The response of the Indian sports administration has been criticised for being adhoc at best and the National Anti Doping Agency’s motto of dope free sport in India has not yielded any significant results so far.  Against this background Dr. Lovely Dasgupta, an Assistant Professor at The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, has written a feature on anti-doping policy in India.

Queensland Rugby League’s (QRL) decision to impose two-year bans on six players for the presence, and presence and use of methylhexaneamine was today acknowledged by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA).

Candidates must be a solicitor or barrister with a minimum of three years’ post-qualification experience and a current practicing certificate. Candidates must have proven experience of working with anti-doping rules and regulations.

This role will lead in the prosecution of anti-doping rule violation matters, including acting as advocate on behalf of UK Anti-Doping before the National Anti-Doping Panel and other administrative tribunals.

USADA announced today that, Tyler Flanagan, of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., an athlete in the sport of snowboarding, has accepted a two-year suspension for an anti-doping rule violation based on his refusal to submit to a sample collection.

1 May 2013 - The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) acknowledged the decision of Australasian Natural Bodybuilding (ANB) to impose sporting bans on eight bodybuilding competitors for a range of anti-doping rule violations.

How far should the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list “catchall” phrases reach in the context of the control of the use of supplements and culturally/ethnically relevant "complementary and alternative medicines" (CAM)?  This article examines the potential inconsistency of the prohibited list, as a universally binding document, and the implications for athletes.

Everyone in sport knows that anabolic steroids are an absolute no no, don’t they? Apparently not Mahmood al-Zarooni, formerly the retained trainer of over 200 horses in Great Britain for the Godolphin operation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the constitutional monarch of Dubai.

For many years medicines have been part of the armoury of medical departments in sports teams and sports organisations. In some circumstances these are handled appropriately, but in some others they are not, and although this has (as far as we know) not resulted in serious harm to an athlete, there are those who feel that it is just a matter of time before a serious incident occurs.

UK Anti-Doping has today confirmed that professional boxer Dillian Whyte has been suspended from all competition for two years following an anti-doping rule violation.

Mr Whyte tested positive for methylhexaneamine (MHA) following an in-competition test on 13 October 2012 and was provisionally suspended from all competition from 5 November 2012. An independent National Anti-Doping Panel found that this case warranted a two-year ban. Mr Whyte appealed, and the appeal panel confirmed the two-year ban.

The International Tennis Federation’s Anti-Doping Programme (the “ITF Programme”) has been under fire recently by some of the sports highest profile players, who have urged it to be more aggressive in the fight against doping. 

2012 was a year of epic sporting battles, Mourinho's Madrid found a way to defeat the brilliance of Guardiola's Barcelona, the European Ryder Cup team overcame the odds during the 'Miracle at Medinah', and Bradley Wiggins conquered the French mountains to become Britain's first yellow jersey winner. However, while 2012 will be remembered for the accomplishments of the athletes on the field, it is possible that the most important contest of 2013 will take place in the court room of Spanish judge Julia Patricia Santamaría.

Matthew Chantler takes a look at two recent cases centered on the issue of social drugs use by sportspersons and the potential effect of the proposed amendments to the WADA Code.

UK Anti-Doping has today confirmed that professional boxer John Donnelly has been suspended from all competition for two years following an anti-doping rule violation.

Mr Donnelly tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, following an in-competition test on 9 November 2012 and was provisionally suspended from all competition on 27 November 2012.

The athlete is banned from all competition from 27 November 2012 to 26 November 2014. The full written decision can be found on the UK Anti-Doping website at http://www.ukad.org.uk/anti-doping-rule-violations/current-violations/