A Nottingham man who says he has never raced a bike competitively has been banned from all sport for four years after the UK Border Force intercepted nandrolone and testosterone that he had ordered online from India.
Ian Edmonds, aged 41, also refused to provide a sample when he was visited by a doping control officer from UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) on 1 May this year, three weeks after the package containing 20 capsules of testosterone and 100 nandrolone tablets had been intercepted.
According to the decision published on the UKAD website, Edmonds, a member of Mapperley Cycling Club, was also a member of British Cycling (BCF) and therefore subject to anti-doping rules.
In an interview with UKAD on 6 June, he admitted Attempted Use of a Prohibited Substance and Refusing to Submit to Sample Collection.
He said that he had ordered the steroids for his personal use and that he had refused to provide a sample when the UKAD staff member visited because he was unaware that he had an obligation to comply with anti-doping rules because he had never competed.
But UKAD said that “his ignorance to that fact is not sufficient explanation that would justify a reduction [of the sanction] based on his level of Fault.”
It added; “As a registered member of the BCF, Mr Edmonds was under a duty to comply with his personal responsibilities to acquaint himself with the ADR and their specific requirements including what constitutes an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.
“He was also under a requirement to carry out research on an products he planned to ingest to ensure compliance with the ADR and to make himself available for testing when requested to do so by UKAD.”
Banning Edmonds until 1 August 2020, it added: “He failed to meet those requirements.”
Pat Myhill, director of operations at UKAD, said: “The ordering of prohibited substances online by those subject to the anti-doping rules continues to be a major concern for UKAD.
“Whether they are obtained in an attempt to improve sporting performance or for aesthetic purposes, a significant threat is posed to both clean sport and public health.
“Ordering prohibited substances via the internet may result in a ban from all sport and, in some cases, constitute a criminal offence.
“The Edmonds case is an excellent example of how we work alongside law enforcement partners to deter and detect doping in the UK by targeting the supply of illicit substances,” he added.
“I would encourage anyone who has information about the purchase or supply of performance and image enhancing drugs to contact us in confidence via 08000 322332 or via reportdoping.com.”
Edmonds is banned from all sport from 1 August 2016 until midnight on 1 August 2020.
51 thoughts on “Amateur cyclist who says he’s never raced gets four-year doping ban”
Mmmm, were they for someone
Mmmm, were they for someone else…?
Can BC not give him a back
Can BC not give him a back dated TUE?
So, as a member of British
So, as a member of British cycling I am obliged to be available of drug testing? Whether I race or not?
wycombewheeler wrote:
Was just taken aback somewhat by this myself. I must admit I’d not read the small print or T&C’s re BC membership, but still surprised by this.
Saying that, it might be the BC race membership this guy has, rather than the bog-standard Ride membership?
The BC website does say this:
Anti-doping, like sport is governed by rules. From 1 January 2015 a revised World Anti-Doping Code (2015 Code) comes into effect. As a member of a British Cycling, these anti-doping rules apply to you too regardless of what level you compete at.
Still a bit ambiguous, especially with the inclusion of the word ‘compete’. I suppose if you don’t compete, then why the hell would you take PEDs anyway? To get a PB on a Sportive?
KendalRed wrote:
Well in this case who knows,but technically anything on the WADA list that required a TUE would count wouldn’t it if competition is loosely worded as just being a member of BC? ,like certain treatments for asthma,no not that one 😉 but prednisone/prednisolone is commonly prescribed asthma treatment and would need a TUE to be compliant ‘in competition’.
British Cycling wrote:
Sounds about right of the logic that comes out of BC
zanf wrote:
Sounds about right of the logic that comes out of BC— British Cycling
Actually that is part of the TUE protocol for amateurs.
rct wrote:
amateur racers…absolutely, people who are just “members” of BC who have no intention of racing, and Ride membership doesnt even get you a race licence, just because BC havent updated their handbook since theyve introduced new levels of non-racing “membership”…err not sure a good chunk of the 75,000 BC members who joined since 2012 have any idea they signed up to that.
Why did he have to submit to
Why did he have to submit to a drugs test at all? Is there something in the BC membership small print which says you have to submit to drugs tests? Should all BC members have to tell BC where they are at all times, just in case?
If he doesn’t competitively race, but just – for the sake of argument – joined BC for the insurance (I’m sure many people do) then what does it matter what he ingests?
If he was intending to supply, then that’s a whole different thing.
(I’m a member of CTC, not BC
).
Cheers.
Cheers.
Now I know to order under a false name and send it to a pick up location in town if I ever feel the need to dope for the racing I’m not doing.
So it’s possible to cheat
So it’s possible to cheat without actually competing? And without knowing that you’re cheating, cos you’re not even intending to compete. I’m sure there’s some logic there. Somewhere.
you see, the trick is to give
you see, the trick is to give them to a BC employee and ask them to carry them over international borders – but don’t open the box….
I hope all the BC asthma
I hope all the BC asthma sufferers not competing in any events have the correct TUEs in place in case BC rep comes a knocking….
Sounds like BC is taking the
Sounds like BC is taking the piss.
Hmmmm, I’m a BC Race member
Hmmmm, I’m a BC Race member (as it was cheaper than theur ride???). Don’t race but do i need a TUE for the insulin I take, and would a large starbucks on the way to a sportive have potential to lead to a ban from playing darts in the future?
wasn’t it Wiggo who said if
wasn’t it Wiggo who said if you’re not a member of British Cycling then you’re not a real cyclist?
Good point brooksby. I’m a
Good point brooksby. I’m a 100% amateur, non-racing member of British Cycling. If I went on some dodgy website and ordered a load of steroids, would BC turn up asking for a blood sample?!
This whole issue is hilarious
.
How UKAD did know he had them
How UKAD did know he had them?
How did the border force know he was subject to UKAD?
Some nasty big brother stuff it seems.
I’ve just looked at the BC
I’ve just looked at the BC website and discovered that they’ve got a whole new range of different memberships (race/ride/fan) which I’m sure didn’t exist last year when I opted for silver race (even though I don’t race and had it purely to have some form of insurance in place) membership. I’m not even sure if there was any mention of the 2015 doping regulations either, but that could be down to how the drugs have affected my memory
My fault entirely for being with BC I suppose but it’s a bit harsh getting an automatic ban from all sports if I refuse a drugs test.
I don’t even do all sports!
What a bizarre set of
What a bizarre set of circumstances.
Personally, I think it’s a
Personally, I think it’s a good thing that they’ve jumped on it. Drugs have no place in sport at whatever level and so, if people are going to bleat about it from their moral high ground, why shouldn’t we be held to account in the same way? Now, as the the way with most fine arguments, there is a glaring inconsistency, which is that there is no way that I am going to get a TUE for my asthma/hay fever medication, nor am I going to carefully study the label on Benylin or whatever if I start to cough and splutter. If I do compete (team time trials at a gentleman’s pace), it will simply be to avoid complete humiliation by finishing behind the team that got two punctures.
However, some tit who buys rubbsh like that deserves said public humiliation in spades.
We seem in so many ways to
We seem in so many ways to have entered the age of no common sense. My caffine addiction will probably get me banned. Oh! am not a member of BC, cycle on.
Slightly more seriously. Whilst I strongly disagree with the use of steriods and would suggest no one should take them without proper medical supervision; the man is a free agent and as long as his usage does not detrimentally affect others and he is aware of and excepts the risks then the problem is all his.
Of course it’s a good thing
Of course it’s a good thing that, had he wanted to race, he wouldn’t be allowed.
However I am surprised that BC would do this to an amateur member. He’s unlikely to renew now and they need our subs to pay for lawyers to get Lizzie Armistead et. al. out of anti-doping bans, sending secret packages to France etc.
Be interesting to hear from
Be interesting to hear from BCF definitively whether “Fan” or “Ride” memberships mean you are subject to ADRs, but I suspect even if he wasn’t a direct BC member he would still be covered by being a member of a BCF affiliated cycling club.
Under clause 38 of the ruling, “[…] Mr Edmonds shall not be permitted to participate in any capacity in a Competition, Event or other activity […] organised, convened or authorised by:
So I guess he’s now banned from the Mapperley CC (BCF affiliated) christmas party.
CygnusX1 wrote:
They are.
Its akin to asking a Man Utd Season ticket holder to agree to the WADA code.
I beleive its entirely disproportional.
Take for example somebody with a Chronic condition who is taking a prescription medicine, that just so happens to be defined as ‘prohibited’ out of competition under WADA.
By simply becoming a BC ‘fan’ or a ride member to cover himself for insurance purposes he is now committing an AD offence ?
Is that fair ? Reasonable ?
I dare say that many of the 125,000 members of BC and specifically the non competitive members do not know they are subject to AD rules , since they are buried in the terms and conditions. Having gone through the application process its very easy to fall foul of it and click through without reading the words ‘ANTI DOPING READ THIS BEFORE YOU SIGN’
I would also like to know UKAD’s view on wht BC think it appropriate to force AD rules on non competitive members since the WADA code is aimed at competive athletes.
My bet is that its further up in the constitution at Sport England Level that ‘ALL’ members of an NGO must adhere.
As has already been mentioned
As has already been mentioned, I’m more bothered that a personal import of steroids was somehow linked to your membership of a private organisation.
Can’t wait until Lego come knocking on my door because I bought a Lepin Millennium Falcon on Aliexpress (not far off Lego quality in case anyone wondered)
.
Yorkshire wallet wrote:
They’re illegal drugs. Similar to how I’d probably get kicked out of Shepherd’s Bush Model Railway Club if I was caught coming back from Pakistan with five kilos of black-tar heroin.
Jackson wrote:
They’re illegal drugs. Similar to how I’d probably get kicked out of Shepherd’s Bush Model Railway Club if I was caught coming back from Pakistan with five kilos of black-tar heroin.
— Yorkshire wallet
Roids aren’t illegal to actually possess and the importation bit of the law appears to be worded towards importing with intent to supply. I just imported some b12 ampules from Germany for injection as you have to get the doc to do it over here.
I think they aren’t a potential gold mine of men’s health if they ever get researched in proper clinical trials. Sadly they are ‘dirty’ in a sporting sense and associated with a lot of health myths. If I had the money and medical guidance I’d be on some test and hgh for injuries and general well being. If the guy that got busted knows what he’s doing , let him do it. There’s far worse health disasters walking our streets.
Personally I think a doping
Personally I think a doping ban is far kinder than being prosecuted under the Misuse of Drugs Act. All of the testosterone and nandrolone products licenced for use in the UK are controlled drugs and are available only with a prescription.
Mmm..Googles nandrolone and
Mmm..Googles nandrolone and testosterone from India.
IanW1968 wrote:
I used to perform quality control for pharmaceuticals being legaly imported from India. The numbers that we had to reject for being out of specification was not very confidence inspiring.
Stick with the double espresso.
I do a little bit of doping
I do a little bit of doping now and again but I don’t race – purely because my wife gets the hump when I’m late after saying I’ll be back at 11, I need to get the club run finished as swiftly as possible.
I think we’ve all got it
I think we’ve all got it wrong…
It had nothing to do with his cycling ability…
…he bought the steroids from India because he wanted to work on his fore arms…
or 8…or 10
I joined British cycling ride
I joined British cycling ride membership with my fiance about 3 years ago and both of us remember specifically reading quite clearly that as a member were were subject to anti doping… we were warned!!
superfourben wrote:
sounds like a thrilling evening spent with your fiancé, reading the BC Ts&Cs
If the drugs take to keep me
If the drugs I take to keep me in good health have a performance enhancement, so what. I don’t race for other than self satisfaction and fitness. Ignoring the fact the best I have ever done is come in the top 10 at my local timetrial.
CXR94Di2 wrote:
That guy who came 11th was done out of 10th place 😉
This story isn’t about a guy with a condition who was prescribed medicines to treat it. It’s about a guy who bought illicit performance enhancers on the internet. The rules look after us here. He didn’t know who made them, what the actual dose is, or what kind of other junk is in there. The TUE system was developed for people with genuine medical need, who have been through a robust prescription process, like the one we use in the UK.
sadly, there’s all sorts of
sadly, there’s all sorts of middle aged blokes out there now taking all sorts of stuff, just on club runs, to maintain a 20mph average over say, a 50 mile loop
avoid the shame of being dropped, on your 3 grand carbon!
Looks like he’d have been
Looks like he’d have been safer if he’d been an Olympic athlete…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/37794421
“The World Anti-Doping Agency said many athletes who had been targeted for testing “simply could not be found”.
JHarrison,
JHarrison,
True, but as highlighted by the comments here, we are potentially signing up to something that could have consequences.
I sign up as a race member (as it’s cheaper), take insulin (as a diabetic), ride socially but get banned by UKAD and it has an impact on a career (as a PE teacher for example)…
alansmurphy wrote:
The TUE system, prospective or retroactive, is there to protect people in this circumstance. An insulin dependent diabetic would generate an Adverse Analytical Finding, not an Anti Doping Rule Violation. It will not have consequences if there is a genuine medical need to take a medicine. If you ever need to have the conversation with UKAD, I’m quite happy to explain how DKA works to them but I’m absolutely confident that it wouldn’t be a problem. I believe there’s some guy called Redgrave who has set a precedent.
See: http://www.ukad.org.uk/medications-and-substances/checking-medications/
Anyone taking insulin, yes it
Anyone taking insulin, yes it probably is worth looking into whether you need a TUE.
That said UKAD don’t have a history of testing random amateurs enough to ever catch anyone so this was the result of a tip off. I’d love to know the internal politics of Mapperly CC…
racingcondor wrote:
Or maybe it was Fancy Bears monitoring his web history.
Alcohol is on the banned list
Alcohol is on the banned list, but not for cyclists, so it’s ok to ride smashed*…
ALCOHOL Alcohol (ethanol) is prohibited In-Competition only, in the following sports. Detection will be conducted by analysis of breath and/or blood. The doping violation threshold is equivalent to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10 g/L. • Air Sports (FAI) • Automobile (FIA) • Archery (WA) • Powerboating (UIM)
* I’m teetotal so obviously it’s only the roids, EPO, stimulants, corticosteroids, methamphetamine etc I need to worry about
It’s not a cycling specific
It’s not a cycling specific ban so he’s buggered if he plays any other competitive sport.
A bloke illegally imports
A bloke illegally imports drugs which is noticed by the UK Border Force. After that UKAD are involved and following a refusal to supply a sample and admission that they were for his own use he was rightly banned from all sports.
Surely the big story here is that UK Border Force have actually managed to do something right!
shay cycles wrote:
if he is illegally importing drugs he should be prosecuted by customs. He hasn’t been which would imply it is not illegal.
The big question here is why do UKAD have the authority to demand a sample from someome who is not competing at all?
Artical is not clear whether he has ride membership or silver race membership.
As someone with a ride membership am I now obliged to pay the same attentoin to the banned substances list as professional athletes, or else be banned from sport. According to the relase the ban is from all cycling activities, does this incluse the club run of any affiliated cycling club? or sportives? or audax rides?
I can’t find the membership terms and conditions on british cycling site, So I am not sure if I am under this obligation, and since the charge is nornmally failing to provide a sample does this mean I have to submit my whereabouts for a 1 hour period every day? Do I need to consider what cows might have been fed in countries I may visit before eating beef? Submit a TUE if I am prescribed anything (unlikely as I think it may be easier to see the pope than my GP)
You see how absurd this gets if they want to follow this line with british cycling members who do not race?
It seems like a massive over reaction to me. and I will seriously consider whether I should renew my membership, or join cycling UK when the time comes.
wycombewheeler wrote:
Anabolic steroids are a class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act – so actually unauthorised possession is illegal.
The same act makes it illegal to either import of export these drugs. In general terms when they are possessed for personal use the prosecution is waived but that does not make the acts legal.
shay cycles wrote:
so why no prosecution? bang to rights obviously
also it seems if you an an amateur who doesn’t compete a 4 year ban is in order, but if you are a pro at the top level whose employer has access to top lawyers 2 years or even 8 months is the more llkely outcome.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3333091.stm
British Triathlon and British
British Triathlon and British Rowing membership both include compliance with WADA rules, so I would expect British Cycling does. Rowing clearly states all levels including Supporter!
LCC do simple 3rd party insurance.
I guess he’s halfway through
I guess he’s halfway through that ban now, considering this thread is 2 years old