Tara Moore Receives Four-Year Ban for Anti-Doping Violation

Tara Moore, a British tennis athlete, has been sanctioned with a four-year suspension. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) supported the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) appeal, concluding that she violated anti-doping regulations (ADRV) through the use of performance-enhancing substances.

The imposed suspension will be decreased by 19 months, acknowledging the provisional ban Moore has been under since May 2022. This initial ban stemmed from a positive test for prohibited substances during a competition held in Bogota, Colombia.

Nandrolone and boldenone, both classified as anabolic agents, were identified in her system. Moore, formerly the top-ranked British female doubles player, claimed that the positive result occurred because of consuming tainted meat.

An independent tribunal initially concurred with this explanation. However, CAS reversed the decision, asserting that the provided explanation did not sufficiently negate the assumption of intent.

CAS stated in its ruling that, upon examining the scientific and legal evidence, the majority of the CAS panel deemed that the athlete had not adequately demonstrated that the nandrolone concentration in her sample aligned with the consumption of contaminated meat.

The panel determined Moore was unable to prove the anti-doping rule breach was unintentional. Therefore, the ITIA’s appeal was validated, and the independent tribunal’s prior ruling was overturned.

CAS further stated that the panel concluded that Ms. Moore did not sufficiently establish that the ADRV lacked intent. As a result, the ITIA’s appeal is upheld, and the decision made by the Independent Tribunal is rescinded.

Moore voiced her dismay regarding the situation, emphasizing the emotional impact and the 19 months she has already been sidelined from the sport.

In response to the verdict, she expressed her feelings about the nineteen months of lost time and emotional suffering.

The four-year ban is now formally in effect, with credit given for the 19 months of provisional suspension already served.