OTTAWA – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) announced today that Julian Simmerling, a former Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) football player with the University of Calgary, has received a three-month sanction for an anti-doping rule violation. The violation occurred during in-competition doping control on November 20, 2010 and resulted from the athlete’s urine sample returning an adverse analytical finding for cannabis.
Cannabinoids are classified as “specified substances” on the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List, banned in competition. Under the rules of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP), an athlete facing a first violation involving a “specified substance” can seek a sanction reduction from two years of ineligibility down to a reprimand. Based on a fault analysis surrounding the athlete’s use of cannabis, the CCES proposed a sanction of a three-month period of ineligibility from sport.
In response to the CCES’ notification of the adverse analytical finding, Mr. Simmerling waived his right to a hearing, acknowledged the anti-doping rule violation, and accepted a three-month sanction ending February 27, 2011. The athlete is ineligible to participate in any capacity with any sport signatory to the CADP, including training with teammates.
“The University of Calgary is unequivocally opposed to the use of banned substances by our student-athletes,” said Blake Nill, head coach of the Dinos football team. “We have a zero-tolerance policy both at the U of C and in CIS, and we are constantly educating our players. We are fully supportive of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program and hope that this unfortunate situation sends a strong message to individuals here in Calgary and throughout the country.”
The CCES is an independent, national, non-profit organization. Our mission, to foster ethical sport for all Canadians, is carried out through research, promotion, education, detection and deterrence, as well as through programs and partnerships with other organizations.
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