The case involves professional swimmer Madisyn Cox, who appealed a decision by the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) concerning an anti-doping rule violation. On February 5, 2018, Cox provided urine and blood samples that tested positive for Trimetazidine, a prohibited substance. FINA issued a provisional suspension and later imposed a two-year ineligibility period starting March 3, 2018. Although the FINA Doping Panel acknowledged Cox did not intentionally dope, it ruled she failed to prove how the substance entered her system, denying a reduction in her sanction.
Following the decision, Cox tested her multivitamin, Cooper Complete Elite Athlete, which she had taken for seven years without prior issues. Testing revealed Trimetazidine contamination in both opened and sealed bottles. This new evidence prompted Cox to file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on August 15, 2018. By August 22, 2018, the parties reached a settlement, requesting CAS to formalize their agreement through a consent award. The settlement acknowledged the banned substance originated from the contaminated multivitamin Cox had declared on her doping control form. Given the light degree of fault, the parties agreed to reduce Cox's suspension from two years to six months, effective from March 3 to September 2, 2018, allowing her to return to training immediately and compete starting September 3, 2018.
CAS appointed Raphaëlle Favre Schnyder as the sole arbitrator to review the settlement. The arbitrator confirmed CAS's jurisdiction and the admissibility of the appeal, noting no disputes from FINA. After verifying the settlement's legitimacy and compliance with legal and public policy standards, the arbitrator ratified the agreement. The consent award amended the FINA Doping Panel's decision, reducing Cox's suspension and correcting the start date to March 3, 2018. The arbitrator concluded the arbitration, rejecting all other requests for relief. The final award incorporated the settlement terms, with each party bearing their own legal costs. The case underscores the importance of thorough investigation in doping disputes and CAS's role in facilitating resolutions. The consent award formally concluded the dispute between Cox and FINA.