British age group triathlete caught doping by girlfriend gets three year suspension

As was first reported on Tri247.com, British age group national team member Louis Walker has been given a three year suspension for using clenbuterol. Walker’s use of the prohibited substance was reported to the UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) agency by his coach after his girlfriend found a package of Clonoxin tablets in his car.

Blister pack of pills found in car

According to the Issued Decision posted on the UKAD website, on Feb. 6, 2023, Walker’s (now ex-) girlfriend, “found a blister pack of Clenoxin tablets (containing the Prohibited Substance clenbuterol) in his car. She immediately confronted him, at which point Mr Walker admitted he had been taking the substance over the previous two weeks.”

Bland told Walker’s coach, about the pills. He reported Walker to UKAD after speaking to him on Feb. 8, 2023.

Walker represented Great Britain at two age group duathlon events – the Europe Triathlon Duathlon Championships in Bilbao in 2022, and the World Triathlon Duathlon Championships in Ibiza in April, 2023. The latter championships appearance came almost three months after his coach reported his offence to UKAD, and just under a month after Walker was interviewed by UKAD (April 3, 2023) and “admitted to taking clenbuterol after completing research on the internet about its effects.”

“He indicated that he had been experiencing difficult personal circumstances at the time and wanted to take something that would assist him in losing weight, as he was concerned about his body image,” the decision continues. “He further stated that he purchased the Clenoxin tablets after a contact from a gym put him in contact with a person (who he did not know). He purchased and collected the tablets in person, took one tablet daily for a period of ten days, and stored them in his car.”

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Clenbuterol is often used by bodybuilders and other athletes “to increase lean muscle mass and reduce body fat,” according to documentation from the US Drug Enforcement Administration. 

Walker was able to continue to compete until he was sent a “notice letter” by UKAD on Sept. 27, 2023. In his response letter on Oct. 9, 2023, Walker wrote: “the anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) occurred in a period after his father suddenly passed away. He said that because of this, he began to regain the weight he had trained so hard to lose. He said that taking the Prohibited Substance at the time was not about sport, but was about a battle he was having with himself. He expressed remorse for his actions.”

The normal sanction for this offence would be four years, but because Walker admitted to the violation, he received a one year reduction to his suspension. He’ll be eligible to return to competition on Sept. 26, 2026.