Bobsleigh Athlete Suspended Eight Years for Second Anti-Doping Rule Violation
(Ottawa, Ontario – April 20, 2020) – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) announced today that Derek Plug, a bobsleigh athlete, received an eight-year sanction for a second anti-doping rule violation. The athlete’s urine sample, collected during out-of-competition doping control on January 9, 2018, revealed the presence of methyltestosterone, a prohibited anabolic agent.
In response to the CCES’s notification of the adverse analytical finding, Mr. Plug requested a hearing to determine the appropriate sanction for his admitted anti-doping rule violation. On August 2, 2019, Arbitrator Yves Fortier imposed a sanction of eight years ineligibility from sport. Following receipt of the Arbitrator’s decision, Mr. Plug attempted to file an appeal of the hearing decision. Ultimately, that appeal did not proceed based on a ruling of Arbitrator Matthew Wilson. Since Mr. Plug accepted a voluntary provisional suspension on February 8, 2018, his sanction will conclude February 7, 2026. During the sanction period, Mr. Plug, who resides in Calgary, Alberta, is ineligible to participate in any capacity with any sport signatory to the CADP, including training with teammates.
The full hearing decision as well as the decision related to Mr. Plug’s attempted appeal can be found at www.crdsc-sdrcc.ca.
About the CCES
The CCES is an independent, national, not-for profit organization with a responsibility to administer the CADP. Under the CADP rules, the CCES announces publicly every anti-doping rule violation. We recognize that true sport can make a great difference for individuals, communities and our country. We are committed to making sport better by working collaboratively to activate a values-based and principle-driven sport system; protecting the integrity of sport from the negative forces of doping and other unethical threats; and advocating for sport that is fair, safe and open to everyone.
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