Canadian RB Gets 3-Year Ban for HgH

A first-year running back at the University of Waterloo has received a three-year ban from football after becoming the first North American athlete to test positive for human growth hormone.

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport ((CCES)) says Waterloo RB Matt Socholotiuk also tested positive for testosterone.

"We have suspected HGH has been abused by certain athletes in an effort to cheat," Paul Melia, the CCES president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. "We now have the proof. However, it is alarming and of great concern that its presence has been detected with our young athletes."

Socholotiuk, a native of Waterford, was initially banned for four years, but appealed the ruling. An arbitrator ultimately reduced the suspension to three years through to June 4, 2013.

In June, the school suspended its football program for the 2010 season after tests revealed nine anti-doping violations.

A total of 82 samples were collected back at the end of March- 62 urine and 20 blood.

The CCES said in July one of the blood samples returned an "adverse analytical finding" ((basically, a positive result)) and had come from one of the nine players who had also failed the urine test. Melia refused to reveal details about the failed blood test at the time.

The Waterloo football team will return to regular competition in 2011 even though 18 players have already transferred to other schools.

The CCES also revealed the names of three other Waterloo players who were sanctioned for positive tests:

Spencer Zimmerman-Cryer, a junior center, is ineligible for one year after he admitted using the steroid Oral-Turinabol.

Freshman receiver Aubrey Jesseau received a two-year ban after testing positive for Stanazolol.

Brandon Krukowski, a junior linebacker, was handed a four-year suspension after initially refusing to be tested, then acknowledging he had committed a violation.

Krukowski disputed the validity of a waiver he had signed but, after Krukowski chose not to participate in a hearing, an arbitrator denied the appeal and the waiver was upheld.

The HQ knows this is far from done, too...
Here's Waterloo's AD Bob Copeland addressing the issue back in June when all hell broke loose...
((HT: SSNCanada))

Steroids shut down a Football Program....

A Canadian University has put its football program on hold for a year. We've been following the story of the University of Waterloo, where a player had been found with a stash of performance enhancing drugs.

The story from April RIGHT HERE

The player, Nathan Zettler had been banned from campus when the investigation started and the entire team was told to submit to drug testing.

Now comes word that the entire coaching staff has been put on administrative leave and that at least nine of the players came up with anti-doping infractions.

CTV in Southwest Ontario has been following the story.

Follow the link to see the story RIGHT HERE

Charges In Canadian Steroid Football Scandal

((HT: GlobeSports/Maki))

A University of Waterloo football player recently found with a stash of performance-enhancing drugs has been charged with possession and the intent to traffic.

Nathan Zettler, a 23-year-old defensive back from Waterloo, was charged after police discovered a large amount of anabolic steroids, including nandrolone, stanozolol and testosterone, two weeks ago.

The Kitchener Record, in a Liz Montero article, has reported Zettler faces additional charges “including five counts of breaking and entering, possession of stolen property, use of a stolen credit card and breaching a probation order.”

Two others were charged with Zettler, who was banned from the Waterloo campus when the police began their investigation weeks ago. Matthew Valeriote has also been charged and suspended from the football team. A third individual, Eric Legare, was charged as well. Legare was a former high school teammate of Zettler’s.

Waterloo officials and the university itself opted to drug test the entire Warrior football team when informed of the initial findings by police.

Athletes at two other CIS schools were tested as well...

Zettler is due back in court next Wednesday.

CTV's Melissa Durrell has been with the story from the beginning...
David Imrie was on campus for the normally-anticipated student/university reaction piece to complete team coverage...

Waterloo Football Coach Addresses Steroid Probe

((HT: CTV Southwest Ontario))

University of Waterloo Head Football Coach Dennis McPhee is now talking for the first time since one of his players became the focus of a police investigation around steroids and HgH with his players.

McPhee says the players on the team are going to circle their stereotypic wagons and move forward. ((What...? They're gonna move backward...???))

No charges have been filed as of yet, and the University of Waterloo has spent $20,000 to test all of its football players for banned substances.

CTV's Melissa Durrell got the grab...


The HQ thinks this looks good on the surface, but if the NCAA got their hands on this one the response would be more swift and sure than their work on IUPUI...

Think "Death Penalty" if there's a "guilty" in the investigation...

Does the CIS have an equivalent...??? It will be interesting to find out...

Football Player At Center Of Steroid Investigation

((HT: CTV-Southwest Ontario))

Yes, the HQ is well aware that this story takes place at the University of Waterloo. Save your Napoleon jokes... not funny...

A Waterloo Warriors football player, as of yet unnamed and suspended from campus, is at the center of the investigation, and AD Bob Copeland is naturally stunned.

Copeland said the school learned of a police probe last week. The information was passed on to CIS ((one of the Canadian versions of the NCAA)) given that banned substances were involved, and an additional round of testing was requested for the entire football team.

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports conducted the tests Wednesday and will report any positive tests to the CIS, which in turn will make the findings public.

There have been 56 doping infractions -- 54 of which have involved male athletes -- from over 5,800 tests since the CIS began its doping control program in 1990.

Football has been the worst offender, accounting for 45 of the positive tests.

CTV's Melissa Durrell tried to get people to talk on campus...
Students were pissed...