Canadian Premier League player Amla suspended two years for anti-doping violation

CITYnews halidax\ By The Canadian Press

Halifax Wanderers striker Ludwig Amla has received a two-year sanction for an anti-doping rule violation.

A urine sample collected Sept. 10, 2022, contained terbutaline, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) said Wednesday in a statement.

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.

Amla, who was born in Denmark but grew up in Quebec, accepted the violation and requested a hearing to determine whether the sanction could be eliminated or reduced, the CCES said.

Arbitrator Dick Pound confirmed the violation and imposed a two-year suspension ending Feb. 7, 2025.

The Wanderers, who sit in fourth place in the eight-team Canadian Premier League, had signed the 22-year-old Amla in July of last year to a contract through 2023.