Iraqi athlete Thaer Al Ali receives two-year ban for anti-doping rule violation

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has banned Para powerlifting athlete Thaer Al Ali of Iraq for a period of two years for committing an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV), in breach of the IPC Anti-Doping Code (the Code).

The sanction was determined following a hearing of the Independent Anti-Doping Tribunal (the Tribunal), which has jurisdiction to hear and determine alleged ADRVs under the Code.

The Iraqi athlete returned adverse analytical findings (AAFs) for prohibited substances in a urine sample provided out-of-competition on 19 August 2023 as part of the pre-testing programme at the Dubai 2023 Para Powerlifting World Championships.

The prohibited substances were hydrochlorothiazide and its metabolite and chlorothiazide and its metabolite. The substances are included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2023 Prohibited List under the class S5 Diuretics and Masking Agents. They are both listed as Specified Substances for the purposes of the Code.

The athlete was provisionally suspended by the IPC on 23 October 2023 pending a resolution of his case.

The athlete contested the consequences proposed by the IPC and requested a hearing of the Tribunal be held. Following the hearing, the Tribunal upheld the ADRV charges brought against the athlete by the IPC and imposed the consequences requested by the IPC in full. 

In particular, the Tribunal rejected an argument by the athlete that he bore no significant fault or negligence for the violation because the AAF resulted from his consumption of a prescribed medication. 

The medication clearly identified itself as containing a prohibited substance and the athlete had failed to check the Prohibited List or apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption before consuming the medication. 

As a result of his violation, the athlete will be ineligible for competition and other sporting activities (other than authorised anti-doping education or rehabilitation programmes) for two years from 23 October 2023 until 22 October 2025. 

The results obtained by the athlete at the Dubai 2023 Para Powerlifting World Championships are disqualified, with all resulting consequences, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes. All other results obtained by the athlete from the date the sample was collected until the commencement of the provisional suspension are also disqualified, with all resulting consequences, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes. 

The Code, supported by the consistent jurisprudence from the Court of Arbitration for Sport and other anti-doping arbitral bodies, provides that athletes must exercise the utmost caution when it comes to the use of medicines for therapeutic purposes, because such medicines may contain Prohibited Substances.

Athletes are reminded that it is their fundamental duty to check the contents of any medications that they are prescribed against the Prohibited List, which is easily accessible online. If such medications do contain any prohibited substances, athletes must carefully follow the procedures to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption.

Each athlete is strictly liable for the substances found in their sample. An ADRV occurs whenever a prohibited substance (or its metabolites or markers) is found in their sample, 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 (the WADC), the IPC remains committed to a doping-free sporting environment at all levels. The IPC has established the IPC Anti-Doping Code in compliance with the general principles of the WADC, including the WADC International Standards, expecting that, in the spirit of sport, it will lead the fight against doping in sport for athletes with an impairment.