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24 July 2025
The ITA reports that handball player Daniel Morisholombe has been sanctioned with a two-year period of ineligibility for an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under Article 2.1 and/or Article 2.2 of the IHF anti-doping rules (IHF ADR).
The player provided two samples on 15 and 22 March 2024 during two in-competition anti-doping controls conducted during the 13th African Games held in Accra, Ghana, between 8 and 23 March 2024¹. After analysis by a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory, the samples returned two adverse analytical findings² for caboxy-THC.
Carboxy-THC is prohibited under the WADA Prohibited List as S8. Cannabinoids. It is prohibited in-competition only and is classified as a specified substance. Carboxy-THC may be considered as a substance of abuse under specific circumstances³ and it may improve muscle relaxation and reduce anxiety.
The player did not challenge his ADRV. Pursuant to Article 8.3.3 of the IHF ADR, the ITA issued a sanctioning decision⁴ imposing the applicable consequences, namely a period of ineligibility of two years from 9 July 2025 until 8 July 2027 and the disqualification of his individual competitive results from 15 March 2024 onwards.
The decision is subject to appeal before the appeals division of CAS in accordance with article 13.2.3 of the IHF ADR.
The ITA will not comment further on this case.
¹ The matter was first processed by the African Union Commission (“AUC”) for a determination on the ADRV. On 22 July 2024 and 8 August 2024, AUC confirmed that the athlete has committed an ADRV and disqualified the athlete’s individual results at the 13th African Games. The matter was thereafter referred to IHF to determine the applicable period of ineligibility under the IHF ADR.
² A report from a WADA-accredited laboratory that, consistent with the International Standard for Laboratories, establishes in a sample the presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers or evidence of the use of a prohibited method.
³ The WADA prohibited list and World Anti-Doping Code define “substance of abuse” as substances which may frequently be abused in society outside the context of sport. Athletes may receive a reduced sanction if they prove that the use was out-of-competition and unrelated to sport performance.
⁴ When an athlete does not challenge the assertion of an ADRV and does not request a hearing, anti-doping organisations have the possibility to issue a written decision sanctioning the athlete and imposing the applicable consequences without having to refer the case to a hearing panel. This is provided in articles 8.3.2 and 8.3.3 of the IHF anti-doping rules and article 8.3 of the World Anti-Doping Code.
