Athlone swimmer Robert Powell has accepted a one year doping suspension having failed a drugs test for the prohibited substance, Clostebol.
In an out of competition doping control test on the 28th November 2019, he provided a sample, which tested positive for Clostebol and is now suspended until 28 November 2020.
Powell admitted the violation but insisted it was not intentional, which Sport Ireland later accepted following the presentation of detailed submissions from the 20-year-old.
The information provided by Powell revealed that he had used a cream called Trofodermin to treat a flare-up of eczema, which he has suffered with since childhood.
His usual remedy is Denvercort, which doesn’t contain any banned substances, but has similar branding to Trofodermin.
Powell said in evidence he used Trofodermin on November 26 or 27 2019, believing it to be Denvercort. He was unaware he was in possession of Denvercort until he was notified of failing a doping test and searching through his toiletries bag.
Due to the detailed level of his submission Sport Ireland set an objective fault level at low and thus back dated Powell’s suspension period of 12 months to 28/11/19.
Powell was a member of Ireland’s national record-breaking men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team at the Fina World Aquatic Championships in July 2019.
Powell with Jack McMillan, Jordan Sloan and Brendan Hyland set a new Irish record of 7:13.91 when finishing 16th in Gwangju.
