Two Université Laval football players test positive for steroids

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OTTAWA (CCES) – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport announced that two Université Laval football players have received sanctions for the use of performance enhancing substances.

On February 7, at Laval's PEPS complex, the Centre for Ethics in Sport conducted 33 doping control tests on Laval football players during a morning training session. A second year linebacker, Michaël Abraham had his urine sample return an adverse analytical finding for the presence of 19-norandrosterone. Abraham waived his right to a hearing and acknowledged the commission of an anti-doping rule violation. He received a sanction of a two-year period of ineligibility.

On March 6, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport conducted further doping control tests on 25 Laval football players during a spring training camp in Orlando, Florida. Steeve Vachon, a first year offensive line player, had his urine sample return an adverse analytical finding for the presence of methandienone. Vachon waived his right to a hearing and received a sanction of a two-year period of ineligibility.

Since March 31, 2010, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport has conducted more than 500 doping control tests on CIS football players. A total of 14 anti-doping rule violations have been asserted with sanctions ranging from one year to four years for admitting to the use of performance enhancing substances, refusing testing, trafficking and presence in a sample for banned substances such as tamoxifen, testosterone, stanozolol, winstrol, methyl-1-testosterone, clomiphene, 19-norandrosterone, methandienone, including the first finding of hGH in a sample in North America.

"Typically we see less than one percent of our domestic doping control tests, and the more than 200,000 tests conducted worldwide, result in a violation," said Paul Melia, President and CEO of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. "We are very concerned that in the sport of football we are seeing almost three percent of those tested continuing to use performance enhancing substances. We look forward to the recommendations coming out of the Task Force on the Use of Performance Enhancing Substances in Tackle Football."

In the past, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport has tested between 150 and 250 student-athletes annually as part of the 2800 anti-doping tests allocated to Canada's domestic testing program. The increase in tests in this past year was made possible by Sport Canada supplementary funding and the Canadian Football League who assisted with the funding of 80 tests conducted on their prospect players.

"We are pleased that in the past year CCES has increased the volume of testing of university athletes," said Marg McGregor, Chief Executive Officer, CIS. "Although extremely disappointed with today's announcement, we are cautiously encouraged that during the high-risk out-of-competition period since the November 2010 Vanier Cup, 285 players were tested, and less than one percent have tested positive, which is within the world average. We are also encouraged that the entire football teams from the University of Calgary and Wilfrid Laurier University tested clean during that time, along with all the CIS players who have been identified as CFL prospects and were tested as part of the CFL drug education and prevention program. We must remain vigilant in our efforts to promote fair play and drug-free sport, however our renewed efforts and collaboration with CCES and the CFL in this regard appear to be making a difference."

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport is an independent, national, not-for profit organization. We recognize that true sport can make a great difference for individuals, communities and our country. We are committed to working collaboratively to activate a values-based and principle-driven sport system; protecting the integrity of sport from the negative forces of doping and other unethical threats; and advocating for sport that is fair, safe and open to everyone.

- CCES -

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Université Laval, May 10th, 2011 – After 83 tests were conducted on Rouge et Or athletes by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) this winter, two Laval football players have each been assessed a two-year suspension for violating anti-doping rules that govern their sport.

The CCES announced today that Michael Abraham and Steeve Vachon, two former Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) football players who studied at Université Laval, received sanctions for the use of performance enhancing substances.

For Abraham, the violation was found after he and 32 teammates participated in a doping control test last February 7th at PEPS. The athlete’s urine sample revealed an adverse analytical finding for the presence of 19-norandrosterone, a substance banned on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2011 Prohibited List.

After the athlete immediately accepted his violation and exposes the surrounding circumstances to the CCES in a process prior to his hearing before an arbitrator, the CCES proceeded to analyze his explanations and maintained its position, reiterating its recommendation of a sanction of two years of ineligibility.

In response to this finding, Abraham waived his right to hearing and accepted the sanction of a two-year period of ineligibility as proposed by the CCES.

On March 6th, during the Rouge et Or’s spring training camp in Florida, the CCES conducted 25 additional doping control tests and Steeve Vachon’s urine sample returned with an adverse analytical finding for the presence of methandienone. Vachon acknowledged his violation from the outset, waived his right to a hearing and accepted the sanction of a two-year period of ineligibility as proposed by the CCES.

The football team has tentatively suspended both athletes from all activities as of the instant their cases were discovered, continuing however to supply the support and resources necessary to enable each player to deal with this situation on administrative and personal levels.

“I am saddened and disappointed that my football career has ended in this manner,” said the athlete who went on to explain his violation occurred after he unwittingly consuming contaminated food supplements. “I sincerely regret having implicated my team, the Rouge et Or, and Université Laval in this sad state of affairs. I apologize to my teammates, my coaches and everyone in the Rouge et Or program as well as at Université Laval. I hope my story will teach a lesson to student-athletes considering consuming food supplements, even if they are available over the counter!”

“We endorse and encourage the guideline imposed by the CCES when it comes to student-athlete doping,” said Rouge et Or head coach Glen Constantin. “Our football program categorically opposes the use of banned substances by our players. Like the CIS, we have a zero tolerance policy towards doping and continually warn the players of the risks associated with the use of dietary supplements in training. This situation inspires and motivates all staff to double our educational and awareness efforts as well as the mentoring that we offer our players.”

Gilles D’Amboise, Director of Sports Service at Université Laval, supported his head coach’s statement. “Université Laval’s football program has been through three (3) rounds of offseason control tests since the beginning of the 2011 year. Out of a total of eighty-three (83) separate tests administered on out student-athletes playing on our football team, we have learned that two (2) results came back positive. We would have of course liked that neither of these two (2) were positive, but this reality reinforces our determination and commitment to educating all our student-athletes. We continue to fully support the CAP (Canadian Anti-Doping Program).”

Twenty-five (25) additional tests were conducted on March 9th, 2011, bringing the total to 83 Rouge et Or student-athletes in the offseason.

 Source:

Laval Sports Info