08/12/2025
Over the past few months I have been dealing with a situation that has been extremely difficult both personally and professionally. Earlier this year, I was notified that a routine anti-doping test returned an adverse finding showing trace amounts of a metabolite. This came as a complete shock. I have never used performance enhancing substances and it is something I never thought I would face as an athlete or coach.
I worked with specialists and tested the supplements I still had access to. Because I had recently moved country, I no longer had access to most of the supplements that I had been using. The limited number of supplements I could test did not match the finding.
Specialists said the most likely explanations were contamination or possible interference from medical products I use for type 1 diabetes, for which I hold a TUE. These were considered scientifically plausible by numerous experts in this field, but proving them in a hearing requires an extremely high level of evidence. Even with expert support, the chances of success were very low and the process would involve months of complex legal and scientific work.
Because of this, I have decided to accept a three year sanction. This reflects the realities of time, cost and uncertainty when no definitive source can be proven. During this period away from competition I will continue my own research to try to identify a clear cause and make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.
I stepped back from social media to process everything properly and to make sure whatever I did next was done with integrity. Although this means stepping away from competition for now, it does not change my purpose. Coaching gave me meaning when everything felt taken off the table, and it remains the work I care deeply about.
Thank you to my friends, family, clients and everyone who supported me. It has been difficult to accept, but I believe in facing things head on, and that is what I am doing now.
Eoin