Sergio Munoz suspended for Anti-doping violation

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has suspended Sergio Munoz, a powerlifter from Costa Rica, for two years for committing an anti-doping violation.

Munoz, who was competing in the up to 88kg class, returned an adverse analytical finding for N,N-dimethylphenethylamine in a urine sample provided on 5 May 2019 after competing at the Lima 2019 World Para Powerlifting World Cup in Peru.

This substance is included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2019 Prohibited List under the category S6. Stimulants.

As a result of his violation, Munoz will be ineligible for competition for two years from 5 May 2019 to 4 May 2021.  

All his results from 5 May 2019 and onwards will be disqualified including forfeiture of any medals, points, records and prizes.  This includes the gold medal he won at May’s World Cup which will now be awarded to Ecuador’s Steven Jose Cruz Mendez.

The IPC would like to remind all athletes the principle of strict liability applies to anti-doping matters and that any athletes who need to take a prohibited substance for medical reasons should seek a Therapeutic Use Exemption.  

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.