The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has suspended the players Michael Budd, Kirill Dyakov and Vladislav Nikiforov due to doping violations.



30-year-old Canadian forward Michael Budd has received a 24-month suspension after testing positive following a game of Germany’s third-tier Oberliga on 19 November 2017 by the National Anti-Doping Organization of Germany (NADA) with the result management carried out by the IIHF because the player was fired by his team Hannover Scorpions after the notification and therefore no longer living in Germany.



The sample found the presence of Methylecgonin (cocaine), which is a prohibited substance listed on the 2017 WADA Prohibited List under S6a Stimulants as a non-specified substance.



The player confirmed that he continued to play and coach in recreational hockey after NADA’s notification as he assumed that the period of ineligibility only applied to his career as an active professional player. The player was provisionally suspended by the IIHF on 5 December 2019.



Based on the player’s explanation, the IIHF believed that he did establish that the prohibited substance was used out-of-competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance, and therefore the anti-doping rule violation is not considered intentional. However, he did not establish that a further reduction of the period of ineligibility is warranted based on the significance and the degree of his fault in this case. Lastly, the IIHF was of the opinion that he deliberately ignored NADA’s notification dated 24 January 2018; the player did not promptly admit to the charge. Thus, the IIHF deemed a 24-month period of ineligibility to be an appropriate sanction.



The player waved his right to a disciplinary proceeding and hearing in front of the IIHF Disciplinary Board and accepted the suspension, which will be in place until 5 December 2021.



26-year-old Russian defenceman Kirill Dyakov of KHL club Admiral Vladivostok received a 15-month suspension after testing positive for Benzoylecgonine (cocaine), which is a prohibited substance listed on the 2019 WADA Prohibited List under S6 Stimulants as a non-specified substance. The doping test was performed on 2 November 2019 following the team’s game at Spartak Moscow. The KHL granted the IIHF control over its doping control testing for the 2019/2020 season.



The player was notified and provisionally suspended on 9 December 2019.



Based on the player’s explanation, the IIHF found that it is established that the prohibited substance was used out-of-competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance, and therefore the anti-doping rule violation is not considered intentional. Furthermore, the IIHF was of the opinion that, based on the facts, the player qualified for no significant fault and given his degree of fault, the IIHF deemed a 15-month period of ineligibility (commencing on 2 November 2019 given the player’s timely admission) to be an appropriate sanction.



The player waved his right to a disciplinary proceeding and hearing in front of the IIHF Disciplinary Board and accepted the suspension, which will be in place until 2 February 2021.



19-year-old Kazakh defenceman Vladislav Nikiforov also received a 15-month suspension. He was in the IIHF Team Whereabouts Pool as a member of the Kazakh U20 national team and was tested in an out-of-competition test on 8 November 2019.



In the sample a presence of Meldonium, which is listed as a prohibited substance on the 2019 WADA Prohibited List under S4.5 Metabolic modulators as a non-specified substance, was found.



In his explanation, the player indicated that during medical treatment in summer he was prescribed a certain treatment by the doctor at the clinic, which included the use of Meldonium. He admitted that he did not disclose to the responsible medical personnel that he is an ice hockey player and therefore the clinic has not taken into account any restrictions in treatment based on the WADA Prohibited List. However, he argued that he had no intention to consume any prohibited substance.



The IIHF was of the opinion that it was established that the anti-doping rule violation was not committed intentionally. Moreover, the IIHF considered that the prohibited substance was prescribed by a doctor as part of a treatment. In addition, the IIHF acknowledged the player’s lack of anti-doping knowledge and education, and his young age. However, the IIHF found that the player should have informed the doctor that he is an ice hockey player. Consequently, the IIHF deemed a 15-month period of ineligibly (commencing on 8 November 2019 given the player’s timely admission) to be an appropriate sanction.



The player waved his right to a disciplinary proceeding and hearing in front of the IIHF Disciplinary Board and accepted the suspension, which will be in place until 8 February 2021.