Former Bristol Bears Lock Chris Vui Devastated as CAS Upholds 4-Year Doping Ban

• Chris Vui's four-year ban was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after he tested positive for a steroid indicator in August 2023
• The former Bristol Bears lock denied knowingly using the banned substance, pointing to a likely contaminated supplement as the cause
• Vui also raised concerns about procedural issues during the B sample testing, which the CAS panel itself described as 'troubling'

Former Bristol Bears lock Chris Vui has described himself as "devastated" after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld a four-year ban imposed on him following a positive doping test.

The 33-year-old Samoan international tested positive for 19-norandrosterone, a substance that indicates the presence of the steroid nandrolone, in August 2023. The positive sample was collected ahead of that year's Rugby World Cup, where Vui was representing Samoa. World Rugby suspended him immediately, and he has been unable to compete professionally since then despite mounting a series of appeals.

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In a statement to BBC Sport, Vui insisted he had never intentionally used a banned substance, saying such actions were completely at odds with his values as both a person and an athlete.

He said the small amount detected in his sample suggested it may have come from a contaminated supplement, but admitted he was unable to provide enough evidence to prove that claim. Vui added that he was heartbroken by the ruling after spending the past three years, following his provisional suspension during the Rugby World Cup, trying to clear his name.

Laboratory procedure under scrutiny

Beyond contesting the origin of the substance, Vui and his legal team raised concerns about how the B sample was tested at a laboratory in Utah. They alleged that the doctor attending on his behalf was absent during certain stages of the process. The CAS panel acknowledged these procedural irregularities, describing them as "troubling," but ultimately ruled that the doctor's absence did not invalidate the B sample results.

Vui also noted that he was informed of his positive test 57 days after providing the urine sample, a delay he said hampered his defence because the supplements he had been using at the time were no longer available for testing.

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CAS released a 65-page ruling on Thursday and backdated the start of the ban by several weeks to account for the delays in notification, while still endorsing World Rugby's original findings.

Vui's time at Bristol Bears

Vui joined Bristol Bears in 2017 and made over 100 appearances for the club. He had signed a contract extension in February 2022 intended to run until 2026, but the agreement was cancelled in September 2023 following the positive test.

With the ban now upheld, Vui said his focus was on resuming his rugby career once the suspension expires. "For now, my focus is on returning to rugby next year and on what comes next as I continue to reflect on this chapter," he added, expressing hope that his case would prompt wider scrutiny of anti-doping procedures in professional sport.

Source: Briefly News