A performance enhancing cocktail mixed with four different anabolic steroids has landed 47 year-old Irish amateur cyclist Dale Walker a four year ban.
Walker tested positive for banned substances after winning the Irish National Championship 40+ age group category race in September 2019 in a field sprint.
Testing carried out by Irish Sport Anti-Doping at the race revealed that Walker tested positive for four banned anabolic substances: epioxandrolone, oxandrolone, 18-noroxandrolone and boldenone – a veterinarian grade anabolic steroid used to build muscle mass in thoroughbred race horses.
In his defense during the Irish Sport Anti-Doping hearing, Walker said he did not know of anyone that would ride a bike “that wouldn’t be taking some sort of supplements in their bottle” and he probably inadvertently ingested the banned substances through supplements he regularly used called “Tango,” “Total War” and “Big Noise.”
Irish Sport Anti-Doping did not buy into Walker’s “Contaminated Supplement” defense theory and applied the concept of “strict liability,” where as an athlete Walker is solely liable for what he ingests.
Even though this was Walker’s first offence, Irish Sport Anti-Doping handed him the maximum four-year ban which begins 5 November 2019 and ends 5 November 2023.
They also stripped Walker of his 2019 Irish National Championship title.
Full Irish Sport Anti-Doping hearing details here.
GRAN FONDO DAILY NEWS 