CAS 2019/A/6110 Liam Cameron v. UK Anti-Doping Limited (UKAD)

In April 2018, professional boxer Liam Cameron (UK, Claimant) tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, after defending his Commonwealth (British Empire) Middleweight title by TKO. After a provisional suspension by UK Anti-Doping Limited (UKAD, Respondent), an independent Anti-Doping Tribunal suspended Cameron for a four-year period, until 24 May 2022. On appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS, Lausanne, Switzerland), Cameron argued that the cocaine was ingested inadvertently while counting banknotes after having sold tickets for the fight. On the basis of evidence submitted by UKAD’s expert, the CAS sole arbitrator held that Cameron had not discharged his burden of proof, on the balance of probabilities, that the anti-doping rule violation was unintentional. The four-year suspension rendered by the Anti-Doping Tribunal’s was confirmed.