Gymnast Suspended For Anti-doping Rule Violation

The Sports Tribunal has suspended gymnast Batuhan Yazici for two years after testing positive for ritalin. Mr Yazici’s suspension is backdated to 5 October 2019. Mr Yazici was tested while he was competing at the 2019 New Zealand Gymnastics Championships in the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Open Division.

Commonly known as ritalin, ritalinic acid (which is a metabolite of methylphenidate) is a stimulant, which is banned in competition. Mr Yazici said that he’d taken a ritalin pill to help him complete a university essay.

“We understand that Mr Yazici wasn’t trying to get an advantage, but unfortunately he breached the rules that are in place protect clean sport”, said Drug Free Sport New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Paterson.

“The sports anti-doping rules are also there to protect the health of our athletes. By self-medicating, he could also have put himself at risk

“We suggest that athletes always consult with a doctor or pharmacist before taking medication. We strongly encourage anyone competing in sport to check their medication on our website: https://drugfreesport.org.nz/medication-check.

“It’s always unfortunate when a ban from sport could have be avoided with a few simple checks.”

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