April 1/09 13:52 pm - Doctor Receives Lifetime Ban from Sport for Administration of EPO

Posted by Editor on 04/1/09
 

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) announced today that Dr. Maurice Duquette committed an anti-doping rule violation for the administration of a prohibited substance to a minor (Ms. Geneviève Jeanson) and that he assisted, aided and abetted in the administration of a prohibited substance, namely erythropoetin (EPO).

The violation was asserted following a 12-month investigation conducted by the CCES into allegations made by Ms. Jeanson during a Radio Canada television interview that aired on September 20 and 27, 2007.

The investigation concluded that Ms. Jeanson used EPO extensively throughout her cycling career. Ms. Jeanson’s admission implicated her physician, Dr. Duquette, in the administration of the prohibited substance. Dr. Duquette acknowledged the violation and waived his right to a hearing. He received a sanction of lifetime sport ineligibility.

This investigation into the role of athlete support personnel is the first conducted by the CCES within the new World Anti-Doping Code focus on non-analytical methods of rooting out doping. Under the rules of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program, the CCES has the authority and the responsibility to investigate any allegations or evidence of anti-doping rule violations committed by athletes and athlete support personnel.

“The CCES is committed to investigating not only athletes, but any athlete support personnel who may be encouraging or directly facilitating the use of prohibited substances by athletes,” said Paul Melia, President and CEO of the CCES. “We believe that we have a duty to the sport community to remove individuals who use their positions of influence and authority over athletes to win with no regard to the consequences.”