The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued an award on 6 August 2009 in the case between the International Rugby Board (IRB) and Luke Troy, along with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU). The case involved an anti-doping rule violation committed by Troy, who had attempted to acquire prohibited substances over the internet. The panel, consisting of Malcolm Holmes QC (President), Alan Sullivan QC, and David Williams QC, ruled in a partial arbitral award on 2 June 2009 that Troy had violated ARU Anti-Doping By-Law 5.2.2. The panel reserved the question of sanction and requested written submissions from the parties. The IRB filed brief submissions, while the affected party (Troy) and the ARU did not provide additional arguments beyond what had already been presented. The IRB noted it had no objection to crediting Troy's provisional suspension period against the total sanction.
After reviewing the submissions, the panel decided to impose a two-year suspension on Troy, effective from the date of the partial award (2 June 2009). The panel also accounted for the provisional suspension Troy served from 1 February 2008 to 28 February 2008, deducting this 28-day period from the end date of the sanction. As a result, Troy's ineligibility period was set to end on 5 May 2011. The CAS ruling confirmed the two-year suspension while adjusting for the time already served under provisional suspension, ensuring the sanction was proportionate and in line with anti-doping regulations. The decision underscores the seriousness of attempting to obtain prohibited substances, even if the attempt does not result in actual use. The case highlights the importance of adhering to anti-doping rules and the consequences of violating them, as well as the procedural fairness in considering provisional suspensions when determining final sanctions.