Welsh rugby union player Rynard Landman receives three-year ban for Anti-Doping Rule Violations
Rugby union player Rynard Landman has been banned from all sport for three years following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the Presence and Use of a Prohibited Substance.
On 8 August 2024, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) collected a urine Sample from Mr Landman, Out-of-Competition, at a Newport RFC training session. Analysis of Mr Landman’s urine Sample detected the anabolic steroid, nandrolone and its Metabolite, 19-Norandrosterone. Nandrolone is banned in sport at all times under the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List.
UKAD notified Mr Landman of the alleged ADRVs on 4 October 2024 and provisionally suspended him from sport. Mr Landman admitted the asserted ADRVs and explained that he had used nandrolone between June and August 2023 (with his last use in August 2023) while retired from professional rugby union.
UKAD sought the advice of an independent scientific expert to determine whether Mr Landman’s use of nandrolone in August 2023 would result in a positive test result for the substance in August 2024. In summary, the scientific expert considered it unlikely that nandrolone would be present in a Sample one year after its purported administration.
UKAD subsequently charged Mr Landman with ADRVs for the Presence and Use of a Prohibited Substance. Mr Landman admitted the ADRVs and the asserted period of Ineligibility (of four years) within twenty days of the Charge Letter. In accordance with Article 10.8.1 of the UK Anti-Doping Rules, Mr Landman was therefore able to reduce the asserted four-year period of Ineligibility to three years.
Mr Landman is entitled to credit for the time he spent provisionally suspended, so his ban is deemed to have commenced on 4 October 2024 (the date his provisional suspension was imposed) and will expire on 3 October 2027.
Technical terms and more information
Please note, unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, capitalised terms used in this announcement have the meaning given to them in the UK Anti-Doping Rules and/or World Anti-Doping Code.
Today’s announcement is made in accordance with the applicable anti-doping rules, following the expiry of appeal rights for UKAD, the Athlete, and the applicable National Governing Body and/or International Federation.
