OHL and CCES Announce Disciplinary Action

For Immediate Release

Ottawa, Ontario – July 2nd, 2014

 

The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) announced today that a Junior hockey player was assessed an eight (8) game suspension for an anti-doping rule violation.  The violation resulted from a urine sample collected during in-competition doping control in May, 2014 which revealed the presence of methylhexaneamine, a prohibited stimulant.

 

Under the rules of the CHL Anti-Doping Policy, North Bay Battalion player Jamie Lewis was assessed an eight (8) game suspension for a first violation for using a prohibited substance.

 

“Player Jamie Lewis and the North Bay Battalion Hockey Club were extremely cooperative throughout the process.  We are completely satisfied that the player used a supplement which he had purchased over the counter at a local retail outlet and had no knowledge that it contained a prohibited substance,” said CHL President, David Branch.

 

Methylhexaneamine is banned in competition by the World Anti-Doping Agencies Prohibited List which is recognized by the CHL.  In Canada, methylhexaneamine is not an ingredient in medications licensed by Health Canada, but can be found in supplements.

 

“Athletes who choose to use supplements must be very careful about the source and purpose of their products”, said Paul Melia, President and CEO of the CCES.  “Under CHL Anti-Doping Rules, athletes are strictly liable for any substance found in their doping control sample, regardless of how it got there or how inadvertent the use was.”

 

“The Ontario Hockey League is committed to the ongoing education of all our players relative to drug-free sport and look forward to continuing to work with CCES and our teams to support the health and welfare of all players”, stated Mr. Branch.

 

The CCES is an independent national non-profit organization.  The mission, to foster ethical sport for all Canadians, is carried out through research, promotion, education, detection and deterrents as well as through programs and partnerships with other organizations.

 

For more information please visit www.cces.ca.