Western Force flanker Kane Koteka has been handed an 18-month ban after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
The 2021 Nathan Sharpe Medalist returned a positive test for the drug Ostarine from an out-of-competition doping control test on 16 December 2022.
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The 30-year-old in a statement confirmed the suspension, back-tracked from February 2023, revealing it had occurred after he had not ingested the substance intentionally.
"13 months ago, I received a phone call that turned my whole world upside down and changed the course of my life," he said via Instagram.
"On the 3rd of February 2023, I was informed by Sports Integrity Australia that I had tested positive for a banned substance called Ostarine and had been provisionally suspended from playing rugby. My initial reaction was that there must be some mistake, as I would never consider cheating or taking any prohibited substance and have always been cautious about what goes into my body.
"My housemate at the time, who is not a professional athlete, then told me that he had been taking Ostarine without my knowledge and had used a glass in our apartment to do so. I realised cross-contamination must have occurred.
"After a long investigation and all the evidence was taken into account, Sports Integrity Australia has now found that the presence of the prohibited substance was likely due to cross-contamination and that I did not use the substance intentionally or deliberately breach the rules."
Koteka debuted for the club in 2015, playing 41 Super Rugby games for the club. He will be available to return in August 2024.
"Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) acknowledges that Rugby Australia (RA) has imposed a one year and six months ban on athlete Kane Koteka for the Presence and Use of a Prohibited Substance," Sport Integrity Australia said in a statement.
"Mr Koteka, a Rugby Union player contracted to Western Force in the Super Rugby Pacific Competition at the time, returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) from an Out-of-Competition doping control test on 16 December 2022.
"The substance Ostarine (Enobosarm) is listed under Class S1.2 (Other Anabolic Agents) under the World Anti-Doping Code – International Standard – Prohibited List – 2022 (Prohibited List 2022). The substance Ostarine (Enobosarm) is a Non-Specified Substance and is prohibited at all times.
"SIA determined that on and/or before 16 December 2022 Mr Koteka Used a Prohibited Substance, namely Ostarine (Enobosarm).
"However, SIA also determined, that Mr Koteka had established, to a ‘balance of probability’ standard, that the presence of the Prohibited Substance in Mr Koteka’s system and the Use of Ostarine (Enobosarm) was likely due to cross-contamination which occurred in a private setting, and that Mr Koteka, did not use the Prohibited Substance intentionally, did not engage in conduct that he knew constituted an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) and did not manifestly disregard a significant risk that he may be engaging in conduct that might result in an ADRV.
"As a result, Mr Koteka’s base period of Ineligibility was two years on account of the lack of intentionality and this was further reduced by six months on account of Mr Koteka having established ‘No Significant Fault or Negligence’ applied."
