Halifax Wanderers soccer forward Ludwig Amla has received a two-year ban from play following an anti-doping rule violation, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport announced on Wednesday.
In a release, the organization, which handles administrative operations for the Canadian Anti-Doping Program, said an in-competition urine sample collected on September 10, 2022, revealed the presence of terbutaline.
Terbutaline is used medically to prevent and treat wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness caused by asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
It is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances.
In response to the findings, Amla reportedly accepted the violations and requested a hearing to see if the proposed sanction period could be eliminated or reduced.
“Terbutaline is classified as a specified substance on the Prohibited List and based on an assessment of the athlete’s degree of fault, the CCES proposed a two-year period of ineligibility,” reads a statement from the CCES.
The two-year sanction was imposed on June 15 by Arbitrator Richard Pound and is slated to end on February 7, 2025.
“During the sanction period, the athlete is ineligible to participate in any capacity with any sport signatory to the CADP, including training with teammates,” the release states.
Amla, who was born in Denmark but spent most of his developmental playing years in Quebec, joined the Canadian Premier League side in July 2022.
The 22-year-old signed a contract to play through the 2023 season with a club option in 2024.
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