Libyan powerlifter suspended for Anti-Doping Rule violation

Baaba returned an adverse analytical finding for Nandrolone metabolite 19-norandrosterone (metabolite of nandrolone (19-nortestosterone) or its pre-cursors) in a urine sample provided on 6 November 2013 after he had competed at the IPC Powerlifting Asian Open Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This substance is included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2013 Prohibited List under the category S1. 1A Exogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) and is prohibited both in and out of competition.

In accordance with the IPC Anti-Doping Code, Abdelrazik Baaba will serve a two year suspension for the offence beginning on 9 December 2013; the date from which he was notified of his offence. All results obtained from 6 November 2013, the date of the test and onwards, will be disqualified with all the resulting consequences including forfeiture of any medals, points, records and prizes.

The principle of strict liability applies to anti-doping matters. Therefore, each athlete is strictly liable for the substances found in his or her sample, and that an anti-doping rule violation occurs whenever a prohibited substance (or its metabolites or markers) is found in his or her bodily specimen, whether or not the athlete intentionally or unintentionally used a prohibited substance or was negligent or otherwise at fault.

As a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC), the IPC remains committed to a doping free sporting environment at all levels. The IPC, together with the International Federations and the National Paralympic Committees, established the IPC Anti-Doping Code to prevent doping in sport for Paralympic athletes, in the spirit of fair play. The IPC Anti-Doping Code is in conformity with the general principles of the WADC.

In the lead-up to April’s IPC Powerlifting World Championships in Dubai, UAE the IPC is running an anti-doping education campaign called Raise the Bar – Say No! to Doping. Launched in late 2013 with funding from the Agitos Foundation, it aims to give athletes, coaches and officials the knowledge and training to be able to make informed choices during training and competition.