Citation

Baltazar-Martins G, Plata MDM, Muñoz-Guerra J, Argaya J, Del Coso J. Drug Test. Anal. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Centre for Sport Studies, Rey Juan Carlos University, Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Spain.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/dta.2753

PMID

31881120

Abstract

Current doping trends overshadow the traditional interpretation of using prohibited performance-enhancing drugs to improve training and/or sports results. Its definition has evolved due to several recent cases of unconventional manipulation in sports. In this article, we present a case study of an intentional intoxication against the Spanish National Field Hockey team that resulted in its ineligibility for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The events occurred during the pre-qualifying Olympic tournament held in Azerbaijan. The Spanish team won the final match of the tournament against the hosting team and gained qualification for the Olympic Games. One month later, the International Hockey Federation (IHF) informed that two players of the Spanish National Hockey Team had tested positive for MDMA and would subsequently disqualify the Spanish National team from the tournament. The Spanish Hockey Federation then started an appeal process to demonstrate 1) contamination through team's hotel air ventilation and 2) tampering of a urine sample. This process ended with the IHF's final ruling that overturned the sanctions imposed on the Spanish National Team. This manuscript not only outlines a deliberate case to exclude a team from the Olympic Games, but also a federation's difficult efforts to prove an intentional intoxication that resulted in adverse findings.

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Language: en