Jamaican swimmer reprimanded for positive drugs tests; will not serve any ban
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Independent Anti-Doping Panel has ruled that Jamaican swimmer Mackenzie Headley will not serve any ban for testing positive for two banned substances last year, but will however receive a reprimand without any period of eligibility.
According to a release from.the panel, “although there was no significant fault or negligence on the part of the athlete in relation to the Barbados, Guadeloupe Games in 2022, in accordance with Article 2.1 pursuant to Article 9 of the Jamaica Anti-Doping, Anti-Doping 2021 Rules, the results of the CARIFTA Swimming and Open Games, Barbados on the 17th April 2022 and of the Caribbean Games on the 30th June 2022, are disqualified.”
The release indicated that at the time of the Games, Headley was a minor competing in the 2022 CARIFTA Swimming and Open Water Championships in Barbados.
“As part of the competition stipulations, Headley was subjected to an incompetition doping control test. Analysis of her sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the prohibited substances GW0742 – Metabolites (sulfoxide and sulfone), GW501516 – Metabolites sulfoxide and sulfone, and SARM LGD (ligandrol) – 4033 Metabolite which are prohibited by WADA at all times,” the release said.
“Similarly, she was a minor, on the 30th June 2022, during the 2022 Caribbean Games held in Guadeloupe, the athlete was subjected again to an in-competition doping control test. Analysis of her sample returned an AAF for the prohibited substances GW1516– Metabolites (sulfone) – non-specified and GW1516 – Metabolites (sulfoxide) – non-specified which are prohibited by WADA at all times.”
The 16-year-old Headley was suspended following both results.
When the matter was brought before the relevant authorities, Headley did not challenge the results but instead argued that she had not knowingly or intentionally ingested the prohibited substance and that the source of the prohibited substances were due to contamination or sabotage.