The case involves Ahmed Abdelhak, a professional handball player from Qatar, who appealed against a four-year suspension imposed by the International Handball Federation (IHF) for an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV). The violation arose from a positive test for nandrolone metabolites during the 2017 World Handball Championships in France. While Abdelhak did not contest the ADRV, he argued that the violation was unintentional, claiming the prohibited substances entered his system through contaminated supplements. He also cited a lack of anti-doping education in Qatar and the absence of a team doctor as mitigating factors. However, testing of the supplements he provided revealed no traces of nandrolone, and the supplements he mentioned did not match those declared in his doping control form, where he had only listed paracetamol and ibuprofen.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) was tasked with determining whether the violation was intentional. Under the 2017 WADA Prohibited List, nandrolone is not classified as a "Specified Substance," meaning the athlete bore the burden of proving the absence of intent. The standard of proof required was a balance of probability. The CAS emphasized that mere speculation about contamination was insufficient; the athlete needed to provide concrete, credible evidence to establish the source of the prohibited substance. The Sole Arbitrator, Alexander McLin, concluded that Abdelhak failed to meet this burden. The absence of proof regarding the source of the substances, combined with inconsistencies in his explanations, supported the finding that the violation was intentional. The CAS upheld the IHF's four-year suspension, noting that intent is established when an athlete disregards a significant risk of committing an ADRV.
The proceedings were conducted in English, and the Sole Arbitrator determined that a hearing was unnecessary, as the written submissions provided sufficient information for a decision. The final award reinforced the principle that athletes must rigorously ensure no prohibited substances enter their bodies and that speculative claims of inadvertent ingestion do not absolve them of responsibility. The CAS affirmed the IHF's sanctions, including the disqualification of results and the four-year ineligibility period. The ruling underscored the high burden of proof required to overturn such suspensions and the importance of athletes adhering to strict anti-doping regulations. The appeal was dismissed, and the original decision by the IHF's Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel was upheld, with the suspension remaining in effect until January 23, 2021. All other relief requests were denied.