Rugby union athlete receives ban
Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges that Rugby Australia has imposed a three-year ban on athlete Marlon Jones for the Presence of a Prohibited Substance and/or its metabolites or markers and Use and Possession of a Prohibited Substance/s.
Mr Jones, who played with Bond University in the Queensland Premier Rugby Competition at the time, returned an Adverse Analytical Finding from an Out-of-Competition doping control test on 19 April 2022.
Mr Jones’ sample was analysed at the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory, part of the National Measurement Institute, and the presence of Di-hydroxy LGD-4033 (metabolite of LGD-4033 (Ligandrol)) and 4-hydroxy-clomiphene and hydroxy-methoxyclomiphene (metabolites of Clomiphene) were detected.
The substance LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) is listed under Class S1.2 (Other Anabolic Agents) of the World Anti-Doping Code – International Standard – Prohibited List 2022 and the World Anti-Doping Code – International Standard – Prohibited List 2021 and is prohibited at all times. Clomiphene is listed under Class S4.2 (Anti-Estrogenic Substances) and is also prohibited at all times.
It was also determined that:
- On and/or before 19 April 2022, Mr Jones Used the Prohibited Substance/s LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) and Clomiphene;
- From on and/or around 24 November 2021 to on and/or around 5 March 2022, Mr Jones Possessed the Prohibited Substance LGD-4033 (Ligandrol); and
- From on and/or around 1 March 2022 to on and/or around 8 April 2022, Mr Jones Possessed the Prohibited Substance Clomiphene.
Mr Jones’ ban was reduced by 12 months following a full admission of the alleged anti-doping rule violations.
Rugby Australia thereby imposed a three-year ban on Mr Jones commencing on 5 March 2022.
Mr Jones is ineligible to participate in any sports that have adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy until 5 March 2025. He is also not permitted to compete in a non-Signatory professional league or Event organised by a non-Signatory International Event organisation or a non-Signatory national-level Event organisation.
Additional information on the Prohibited Substances
Clomiphene, also known as Clomid, is intended for the treatment of infertility, primarily in women but is also used off-label for male infertility. The use in males can cause increased testosterone. Clomiphene is not currently medically approved for male use and can cause side effects including headaches, gynaecomastia and blurred vision.
LGD-4033 (Ligandrol), originally developed for the treatment of muscle wasting conditions such as aging, osteoporosis, muscular dystrophy and cancer, is promoted as a selective non-steroidal anabolic agent. It is 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 LGD-4033 is scarce due to a lack of medium and long-term clinical trials - hence the medium and long-term health impacts are unknown.
It should be noted that a number of SARMs have associated health-risks, particularly for the heart and liver.
