For Anti-Doping Rule Violations of presence or use of a prohibited substance, the basic rules are as follows:
- If you intended to cheat, whatever the substance, the period of ineligibility is four years
- Otherwise, it is two years – unless you can show you had no significant fault or negligence, in which case ineligibility may be reduced by up to a maximum of one year (that is, to a minimum ineligibility of one year)
- If the violation involved a specified substance or a contaminated product, and you can demonstrate you had no significant fault, ineligibility may range from two years to a reprimand (depending on your level of fault)
You should also be aware that multiple Anti-Doping Rule Violations, or the presence of multiple substances may increase the sanction you face beyond four years.
For some Anti-Doping Rule Violations, the penalty can be a life ban from sport.