British shot-putter Carl Fletcher was suspended from competition for four years by the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) after being convicted of trafficking anabolic steroids. Fletcher pleaded guilty to supplying 16 different types of performance-enhancing drugs including human growth hormone (hGH) and the anabolic steroids testosterone and Trenbolone. Steroids are categorized as a Class C drug in the United Kingdom. Fletcher was sentenced to nine months in prison by the Liverpool Crown Court.
Fletcher never tested positive for any performance-enhancing substance prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Anti-doping agencies have had little success catching steroid users with anti-doping tests. Athletes have historically remained one step ahead of testers in the cat and mouse game.
WADA and its national anti-doping organizations have made a concerted effort to establish agreements with law enforcement agencies to help them catch steroid users.
UKAD had signed a memorandum of understanding with law enforcement agencies in 2010 that allowed anti-doping officials to share sensitive police information regarding athletes involved with steroids.
UKAD was first alerted them to Fletcher’s involvement in steroid trafficking by local law enforcement investigators.
“This case proves the invaluable role that law enforcement agencies have in the fight against doping in sport and demonstrates that our intelligence system is working effectively,” according to the UKAD CEO Andy Parkinson.
The Merseyside Police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) had been investigating steroid use by officers at the St. Helens Basic Command Unit of the Merseyside Police Authority.
Fletcher’s uncle and cousin were targets of an investigation into steroid dealing at the Merseyside Police Authority. SOCA alerted UKAD once they learned of the shot-putter’s involvement in the family steroid business.
Fletcher has been provisionally suspended from competition from November 8, 2011 until November 7, 2015.
Source:
Gibson, O. (November 21, 2011). Shot-putter Carl Fletcher given four-year ban for trafficking steroids. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/nov/21/shot-putter-carl-fletcher-ban
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