Hockey: Two year ban for taking weight loss drug

Hockeyroos squad member Jane Bennett will miss the Olympics after being hit with a two year ban. Photo / Getty Images

Hockeyroos squad member Jane Bennett says an innocent mistake over a weight loss drug is to blame for a two-year doping ban which rules her out of the London Olympics.

Hockey Australia (HA) slapped the ban on Brisbane midfielder Bennett after she tested positive to the banned substance clenbuterol on August 9 during a national training camp in Perth ahead of the World Cup and Commonwealth Games.

A fringe squad member who has yet to play for Australia, Bennett has also been ordered to repay a $7703 training grant to the Australian Sports Commission.

Bennett said in a statement she used a weight loss product prior to the test but acknowledged she should have checked if it contained a prohibited substance.

"I take full responsibility and although I had no intention of cheating the systems in place," said 26-year-old Bennett.

"I accept that I should have done more research into the product.

"It was an innocent mistake but I fully accept the finding."

ASADA chief executive Aurora Andruska said the violation was detected as part of ASADA's "pure performance" program for the Commonwealth Games in which more than 1000 tests were conducted on 400 Australian athletes.

Clenbuterol is found in medication for breathing disorders and is sometimes used a weight loss drug.

However it is prohibited under the World Anti-Doping Code.

ASADA warned unsupervised use of the drug can worsen pre-existing heart conditions or hypertension, and there is a risk of overdose and stroke when used at high doses.

"It is a potentially dangerous drug that, as well as being banned under the code, is not approved for human use in Australia," Ms Andruska said.

Hockey Australia said it accepted ASADA's finding.

"HA acknowledges and accepts Bennett's explanation that she took what was thought to be a weight loss product before heading to Perth," said chief executive Mark Anderson.

"However, as Bennett has recognised, she needed to be more diligent in checking whether the drug in question was a banned substance.

"We will continue to strongly support ASADA and their policies."

The suspension means Bennett will be ineligible to participate as an athlete or support person in sport until August 26, 2012.

- AAP