Two ice hockey players and members of the New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation (NZIHF) have been suspended by the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand for the purchase of clenbuterol, a banned performance and image enhancing drug (PIED) in 2014 and 2015.

The players were identified in an investigation by Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ). Both players have received a two year suspension backdated to 1 January 2017. This makes them unavailable to the sport until 31 December 2018.

The Tribunal noted that the World Anti-Doping Code places a heavy personal responsibility on every athlete to ensure that they do not breach the anti-doping regime. Not doing so is conduct inconsistent with the expectations and obligations imposed by the anti-doping regime and breaches the standards expected of an athlete.

This case underlines the importance of drug free education and that it not only refers to having no prohibited substances in the body, but also that a simple online order of such a substance is sufficient to be charged and, in this instance, suspended from sport.

The full NZIHF Media Statement is below.