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Weightlifter receives sanction

  • Doping violation updates

Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges the decision of the Australian Weightlifting Federation to impose a four-year ban on athlete Rebecca Richardson for the Presence of a Prohibited Substance/s and/or its metabolites, Use of a Prohibited Substance/s, and Possession of a Prohibited Substance/s.

Ms Richardson returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) from an In-Competition doping control test on 9 July 2022.

Ms Richardson’s sample was analysed at the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory, part of the National Measurement Institute, which detected the presence of Dextroamfetamine, Ostarine (Enobosarm), LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) and its metabolite (Di-hydroxy LGD-4033), Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone (DHCMT) (4-chloro-17β-hydroxy-17α-methyl-androsta-1,4-dien-3-one) and its metabolites:

  • 4-chloro-17α-methyl-6β,17β-dihydroxyandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one
  • 4α-chloro-17β-hydroxymethyl-17α-methyl-18-nor-5α-androst-13-en-3α-ol
  • 4-chloro-17α-methyl-5β-androstane-3α,16ζ,17β-triol, and
  • 4-chloro-17β-hydroxymethyl-17α-methyl-18-nor-5β-androsta-1,13-dien-3α-ol

The substance Dextroamfetamine is listed under class S6A (Stimulants) of the World Anti-Doping Code – International Standard – Prohibited List 2022 (2022 Prohibited List) as a Non-Specified Substance and is prohibited In-Competition only.

The substances Ostarine (Enobosarm) and LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) are listed under class S1.2 (Anabolic Agents – Other Anabolic Agents) of the World Anti-Doping Code – International Standard – Prohibited List 2021 (2021 Prohibited List) and of the 2022 Prohibited List as Non-Specified Substances and are prohibited at all times.

The substance Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone (DHCMT) is listed under class S1.1 (Anabolic Agents – Anabolic Androgenic Steroids) of the 2022 Prohibited List as a Non-Specified Substance and is prohibited at all times.

It was determined that:

  • On and/or before 9 July 2022, Ms Richardson Used the Prohibited Substances Ostarine (Enobosarm), LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) and/or Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone (DHCMT) (4-chloro-17β-hydroxy-17α-methyl-androsta-1,4-dien-3-one)
  • On or around 26 July 2021 to 9 July 2022, Ms Richardson Possessed the Prohibited Substances LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) and/or Ostarine (Enobosarm)
  • On 9 July 2022, Ms Richardson Possessed the Prohibited Substance Lisdexamfetamine
  • On 9 July 2022, Ms Richardson Used the Prohibited Substances Dextroamfetamine and/or Lisdexamfetamine.

The Australian Weightlifting Federation thereby imposed a four-year ban on Ms Richardson commencing on 9 July 2022.

Ms Richardson is ineligible to participate in any sports that have adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy until 9 July 2026.

She is also not permitted to compete in competitions authorised by any non-signatory professional league or any non-signatory international- or national-level Event organisation or any elite or national-level sporting activity funded by a governmental agency.

Additional information on the Prohibited Substances

Ostarine (Enobosarm) is a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM) that is not approved for human use or consumption in Australia. SARMs pose serious health concerns, including increased risk of heart attack, stroke and life-threatening liver toxicity.

LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) is also a SARM and was originally developed for the treatment of muscle wasting conditions such as aging, osteoporosis, muscular dystrophy and cancer, however, it is promoted as a selective non-steroidal anabolic agent.

SARMs are claimed to be a substance that induces muscle (and bone) growth without the side effects associated with steroid use. However, information on the safety of SARMs is scarce due to a lack of medium and long-term clinical trials.

Anabolic agents pose many threats to an athlete’s health and some side effects may include an increase in blood pressure and cholesterol levels which can lead to heart disease. Liver disease and infertility can also result from the use of these agents.

Sport Integrity Australia is committed to protecting the right of clean athletes to fair competition.

If you are aware of any suspicious doping activity, you can:

Sport Integrity Australia recommends athletes check substances and medications before taking them and to follow our advice on any sport supplements.

The Sport Integrity app provides a useful resource for athletes and support staff to check substances and medications.

Additionally, it provides information on how to find batch-tested supplements or see if a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) is required.


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