Simon Mensing describes ‘doping’ nightmare as a “fiasco”

Mar 3 2011 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON Accies midfielder Simon Mensing has described the circumstances that led to him being banned for four weeks after failing a drugs test as a “fiasco”.

A sample taken after the home match against Aberdeen on Wednesday, December 29, found traces of Methylhexaneamine (MHA), which appears to have been ingested after the player took the dietary supplement Xedra-Cut.

He was subsequently banned and only returned during Saturday’s 1-1 New Douglas Park draw with Dundee United at the weekend.

However, Mensing was unaware he had breached the rules as he had asked the manufacturers of the product, retailers and club medics if the supplement contained any banned substances and was told that it was ‘clean’.

Mensing said: “This whole ordeal has been a nightmare for me and my family and can only be described as a fiasco.

“I should make it clear that I would never have taken any banned substance in a million years – and made every effort to check in advance that the dietary supplement I did take was clean.

“I am glad it has been recognised by the anti-doping authority that I did not know that the supplement was contaminated by something that I now know is called Methylhexaneamine.

“They also accepted that I had made no effort to improve or enhance my performance, as I did not know I had ingested the substance.

“However, the whole thing still leaves a bitter taste as I had been prevented from playing because the rules are that, if any substance is found in your body, whether you knew it or not, then you bear responsibility.

“It’s strict liability and that is very hard to take when you are completely innocent.

“The whole saga has been hugely frustrating but my conscience is absolutely clear.”